


Bringing In The New Year

by Sculder (Philer4Ever)



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Anal Fingering, Blow Jobs, Caning, Consequences, Deception, Domestic, Domestic Discipline, Established Relationship, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Male Slash, New Year's Eve, New York City, Spanking, Threat of Discipline, Times Squares, Whipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2018-01-17
Packaged: 2019-02-24 07:21:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 78,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13208778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Philer4Ever/pseuds/Sculder
Summary: Skinner's teenage nephew comes to visit him and his lover.





	1. The Arrival

December 29th

Crystal City Apartments  
Saturday afternoon

"Fox, are you ready to go? Jake's plane arrives at 3 and if we don't leave now, we'll never make it in time," Skinner said as he searched frantically for his car keys.

Ya' see, there's a perfectly good reason for Skinner's out-of-character anxiety. His 15-year old nephew was visiting him for the first time from Oregon. They had never met before and this would be his first trip to DC-- or anywhere for that matter. Skinner wanted everything to go right for him and arriving at the airport late would screw that up.

Mulder was casually coming down the stairs. 

"Yeah, I'm ready. What are you looking for?" he asked, pausing on the bottom step.

"My fuckin' car keys! I just had them in my hand a minute ago!" Skinner yelled, pulling up couch cushions looking for them.

Mulder stepped down and walked over to his irate lover. 

"Did you look in that mug where you usually put them?" Mulder asked, going over to look in the mug.

"Yes, of course I looked in there! That was the first place I looked!" he exclaimed.

"Well then-- what are these?" Mulder asked, swinging the keys on his finger.

Skinner glanced back at his grinning lover then walked over to him, snatching the keys from his hand.

"Thanks," he mumbled with embarrassment then quickly moved past Mulder, leaving the door open for him to follow. Mulder chuckled to himself, shaking his head as he closed the door behind them.

Once they found a parking space, Skinner rushed through the airport towards his nephew's gate. Mulder was keeping up slightly behind him. When they arrived, the plane was just landing.

"See, I told ya' we'd get here in time. You didn't have to run all those red lights," Mulder said, going to take a seat in the waiting room. Skinner glared at him, continuing to pace. 

"The plane is late. That's the only reason my nephew isn't sitting here waiting for us right now."

Mulder watched him for a moment. 

"Walter, would you relax a little?” he implored. “Everything's okay-- Jake will be here any minute now.” 

"I'm just a little tense about him visiting. Since his dad died, my sister tells me I'm the only adult male in his life now. She's looking to me to be a role model for him. I don't want to mess things up before he even gets off the plane."

Mulder reached out to grab his lover's wrist, momentarily stopping his movement.

"Walter, you're not going to mess up anything. You're a good uncle and a wonderful man. Jake is going to know that as soon as he meets you."

Skinner smiled at Mulder. "Thanks, babe."

Skinner had only seen pictures of his nephew. As the plane unloaded, he took out the picture his sister had sent him. It was taken a few weeks ago. Mulder took a look at the picture himself then searched the emerging crowd with his eyes. Finally, Mulder spotted a tall, shaggy haired teenager wearing baggy jeans and an over sized jacket.

"Walter, I think I found him!" Mulder exclaimed, pointing in the direction of the young man. 

Skinner spotted him then glanced down on the photo. Yep, it was him. Skinner started waving and calling out his name.

"Jake, over here!"

The young man's somber expression turned into sheer joy at the sight of his uncle. He quickly came towards him and was met half way. Skinner grabbed him at the back of the neck, bringing his head to his shoulder. The young man wrapped his arms around his body and the two shared a warm embrace. Skinner then released him, ruffling his hair.

"Hey Uncle Walt," he grinned shyly.

"Hey yourself! It's great to finally meet my only nephew," Skinner grinned.

Just then Mulder came up to them with a smile on his face. Skinner turned towards him.

"Fox, this is my nephew, Jake. Jake, this is Fox."

Jake extended his hand to Mulder and Mulder took it, pulling the young man into another warm embrace.

"I think we can do better than handshakes. I mean we are family after all," Mulder said, patting him on the back. When he was released, Jake was obviously a little flustered by the greeting and backed away frowning.

"Hey Fox," he said shyly. He turned back towards his uncle who had noticed the exchange. "They said the baggage claim was down here," Jake announced and abruptly turned to walk towards it. 

Skinner looked at him, then at Mulder. Mulder looked solemnly at the retreating form then to his lover.

"I thought you told me it was okay with him," Mulder said, shoving his hand deep into his pockets.

"I thought it was," Skinner said, going after his nephew.

Mulder sighed loudly, following behind with his hands still in this pockets.

Once they retrieved his luggage, all three walked to the parking lot. Skinner broke the thick silence.

"So, how was the flight? This was your first, right?"

"Yeah. It was cool. They showed a movie," he said enthusiastically.

"Which one?" Mulder asked eagerly.

"Rush Hour 2. I wanted to see it. Pretty funny."

"Yeah, I saw it, but I think the first one was better," Mulder admitted.

"I wouldn't know. I didn't see it," Jake said flatly.

"Oh, it was good," Mulder said, feeling somewhat awkward.

When they got to the car, Skinner put his nephew's luggage in the trunk and they all got in. Jake insisted on sitting in the back so Mulder got on the passenger side. During the trip back to the house, Mulder could feel Jake watching them. When Mulder would look back at him, he would close his eyes and act as though he was listening to through his headset. 

Once they arrived at the house, Jake was the first to get out of the car. When Skinner popped the trunk, he pulled his bags out and walked up to the house. He waited at the door for Skinner to open it. Mulder noticed the young man looked like a pack mule with all his bags. He offered to carry some for him but Jake refused, rushing into the house as soon as the door was opened. He stood in the foyer, waiting for directions as to where he would be staying. Skinner came towards him and pointed up the stairs to the guest room they’d prepared for him.

"Two doors down on the right."

Just as Jake was at the top of the stairs, Skinner added, 

"What do you think of pizza for dinner?"

"Sounds great. Make mine sausage with extra cheese."

"You got it," he said as his nephew moved out of sight. He turned to find Mulder still standing near the door, looking quite upset.

"Walter, we gotta' talk."

"I know, but can't it wait until later? I'm sure Jake's hungry and tried. I'd like to get him settled first, then we can talk,” Skinner said, giving his lover a reassuring kiss on the mouth. “Okay?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Mulder answered then went to hang his coat in the closet.

After ordering the pizza, Skinner went upstairs to see how Jake was doing. He came to the opened door and knocked, so he'd know he was there. Jake was still unpacking.

"Everything okay?" Skinner asked, moving inside.

"Yeah. Are these drawers for me?" he asked, gesturing towards the dresser in the room.

"Yes, they are. You can use the closet too," Skinner mentioned as he sat on the bed.

"Thanks." Jake continued to take things from his suitcase.

"When you're done, you should give Lori a call. I know she'd want to hear you got here safe."

"Yeah, I will."

Skinner sat watching the young man for a while and when no other acknowledgment was coming, he decided to leave.

"I'm going downstairs to wait for the pizza. After you talk to your mom, come downstairs and join us, okay?"

"Yeah sure," Jake said without looking up.

When Skinner went back down to the living room, he saw his lover sprawled on the couch pretending to watch TV. Mulder looked up at him as he entered the room.

"Everything all right?"

"Yeah, he's unpacking," Skinner said, lifting Mulder's legs so he could sit on the couch then replacing them on his lap. "I told him to join us after he calls his mom."

"You think he will?"

"Sure. Why not?"

"No reason," Mulder answered, turning his head back to the TV. He was obviously lying. Skinner gave him a side-glance, but decided not to start anything until after Jake turned in for the night.

Of course, Jake didn't come down until the pizza arrived. He insisted on taking it up to his room but Skinner wouldn't allow it, so he sat in the chair at the far end of the living room. Mulder and Skinner were sitting next to each other on the couch. Mulder noticed Jake doing his best to not look at them. He stared at the TV screen, even pretending to pay close attention to the commercials. The apparent tension in the room was making Mulder lose his appetite. Skinner watched in amazement as Mulder ate only two slices then announced he was going upstairs. Skinner saw Jake briefly glance as Mulder got up then went back to watching TV. Skinner sat observing his nephew for a while then asked him if he wanted another slice. The boy had eaten three huge slices already. He shook his head no then told his uncle goodnight and ran up the stairs to his room.

Skinner stood at the bottom of the stairs watching as he went up to his room. He sighed, shaking his head and went to work cleaning up the living room. When he went upstairs to the bedroom, he noticed Mulder was still dressed and sitting on the side of the bed. He looked at him when he came into the room.

"Can we talk now?" Mulder asked.

Skinner went to sit beside him on the bed. 

"Sure we can, Fox."

Mulder got up to pace. 

"Walter, what exactly did your sister tell him about us?"

"I don't know exactly. I just know she told him we lived together."

"So he knows we live together as a gay couple?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Why?"

"Why? Did you see him today? He couldn't get away from me fast enough and he's so uncomfortable around us. I should have never hugged him like that."

"You were only being your lovable self. He may be a little uncomfortable at first but I'm sure once he gets used to us, things will get better," Skinner said with assurance.

"Did your sister know he was homophobic?"

"I don't think so. She said when she told him, he seemed okay with it. I think it's a combination of everything being so new to him. After all, this is his first plane trip, first time meeting his only uncle and maybe his first time being around gay men. Most heterosexual teenage boys have a problem with it until they get to know us and see that we're no different than anyone else."

"Yeah and you're practically a stranger to him. Why haven't you met him before this?" Mulder asked.

Skinner shrugged. 

"You know, work. No time to do what I wanted. I used to talk to him on the phone a couple of times a year. Lori would send me a class picture every year, too."

"Did she tell him you were gay back then?"

"Well, I hadn't told her until a year after we got together. Remember, I was a late bloomer. I think he was about 10 when she told him."

"And she said he was okay with it."

"As okay as a 10 year old could be. I'm sure he didn't really understand then. I'm not sure if he understands now."

"I have a feeling he doesn't. I think we both need to talk to him. How long is he going to be with us?"

"Well, his school has this coming week off, so he'll be here a few days after New Year's," Skinner explained.

"Good. After he's settled in a few days, we should sit him down and have a talk."

"I agree. In a few days."

 

December 30th

Crystal City Apartments  
Sunday morning

Skinner got up bright and early to make breakfast for everyone. He was making his famous waffles from scratch and maple syrup. Mulder was already out, running. Jake was still in bed asleep. He was just about to go wake him up when Mulder came in.

Hey, Fox. Did you have a good run?"

"Yeah, it's brisk out. Just the way I like it," he said, blowing into his hands and rubbing them together.

"Good. Jake's still asleep. I was just about to go upstairs and wake him," Skinner said passing him.

"Why don't ya' let me do it? I have to go up there anyway to take a shower and change."

"Okay, thanks. I'll get back to the waffles."

"Oooo, you're making your famous waffles from scratch? With maple syrup? I'm going to make sure it's a quick shower," Mulder said bounding up the stairs while Skinner went back into the kitchen.

When Mulder reached Jake's door, he knocked, but there was no answer. He called out, but again no answer. He decided to try the knob and saw it wasn't locked, so he pushed the door open. When he peeked his head inside, he saw Jake sprawled out on top of the covers. He was in boxers and a T-shirt. Mulder inched closer towards the bed, calling the young man’s name the entire time. Mulder smiled to himself. He was just like his uncle. An earthquake couldn't wake him up. Mulder bend down over the boy and lightly tapped him on the back, so as not to startle him. When he didn't stir, Mulder gently shook him.

"Jake. Jake, wake up. Come on. Walter is making his famous waffles. They are too good to miss."

Finally, Jake began to stretch and groan.

"Mom?"

"No, not exactly," Mulder laughed.

Jake's eyes opened slowly then they became as big as saucers. Suddenly he sat up on the bed and began grabbing the blanket to cover himself.

"W-what are you doing in here?!" he yelled, moving away from Mulder.

Mulder was somewhat startled by the young man's reaction. He backed away from the bed.

"Take it easy. I only came in to wake you up."

"Okay, I'm up. You can go now," Jake said in a calmer voice, but was still trying to cover himself.

Skinner suddenly appeared in the doorway. 

"What's going on?"

"I just freaked him out, that's all," Mulder said as he angrily pushed past his lover.

Skinner glanced after Mulder then looked back at his cringing nephew.

"Jake, breakfast is ready. Please get up and get yourself dressed," Skinner ordered in a less than cheerful manner. He then turned and walked away.

Mulder was downstairs sitting on the couch, still quite upset. Skinner walked over to him.

"Okay Fox. Tell me what happened."

"I knocked on the door. There was no answer, so I opened the door and called to him. There was still no response, so I went in and began to gently shake him. When he finally woke up, he jumped up and started grabbing the covers to cover himself." Mulder paused a moment, then continued: "I think the kid thought I was there to...rape him or something," Mulder said with a non-humorous chuckle.

"Fox, what are you talking about? He didn't think you would rape him. That's ridiculous!"

"Then how do you explain his reaction to me being in his room, huh?"

"Fox, he's in new surroundings. He probably woke up a little disoriented. Your presence just startled him, that's all."

"Then explain him trying to cover himself and backing away after he saw it was me," Mulder said, waiting for his lover's response.

"Fox, I...you..." Skinner stammered.

"You can't answer that, can you? We both know why he acted that way," Mulder said, getting up and moving towards the front door. "I have to get out of here for a while," he said, walking out and shutting the door behind him.

Skinner hung his head, sighing. When he lifted it again, he noticed his nephew was standing at the top of the stairs.

"Fox going somewhere?" he asked innocently.

"Yeah. Jake, will you come down here please? I'd like to talk to you," Skinner said in his best ‘AD’ voice. Jake swallowed hard at the tone then slowly came downstairs.

"Yeah, Uncle Walt?"

"First off, it's not 'yeah'. It's 'yes'."

"Yes...Sir."

Skinner glared at him. 

"Have a seat Jake." 

Jake went to sit on the couch.

"Is there something wrong, Uncle Walt?"

"Yes, there is," he said, sitting next to his nephew. "Jake, I want you to tell me what happened upstairs when Fox went to wake you up."

"What happened?"

"Yes. Something happened up there, didn't it?"

"Well, not really," he answered, fidgeting nervously.

"Jake, I heard you shouting at Fox. When I came to the door, you seemed freaked out. Now I want to know what happened."

Jake lowered his head, wringing his hands. 

"He just scared me a little, that's all. Nothing happened. Can I go now?" Jake asked, getting up from the couch.

"No, you may not. I still want to talk to you." Skinner watched as Jake fell back down on the couch, doing a good imitation of Mulder's pout.

Skinner leaned closer to his nephew. 

"Jake, what did your mother tell you about me and Fox?"

Jake shrugged. 

"I don't know. She said you two were living together," he admitted, obviously uncomfortable.

"Did she tell you we were in a relationship?"

He shrugged again.

"Jake, Fox and I are..."

"Fags. I know."

Skinner sat back in amazement. 

"Jake, where did you hear that term?"

"Everywhere. Some classmates of mine call this guy in our class that all the time."

"Well, it's not a term I prefer, so I would like it if you didn't use it anymore," Skinner requested sternly.

"All right, whatever."

"Now, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," he said, glaring at the boy and making him squirm. "Fox and I are lovers. Do you know what it means when two men are lovers?"

"Of course I do. You two have sex with each other."

"You're right, but it's not just about sex. It's about loving and caring about each other." 

Jake was just watching him with a blank expression. 

"Jake, do you have a girlfriend?" Skinner asked.

"Yeah. I mean, yes."

"How do you feel about her?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I care about her a lot."

Skinner nodded. "Do you want to have sex with her?" he asked, assuming he hadn't already.

"Man, Uncle Walt!" Jake exclaimed, blushing furiously.

"I know this is hard to talk about Jake, but I want you to understand the relationship Fox and I have."

"I understand. You and Fox love each other the way a guy and a girl do, but not exactly in the same way."

"Yes, that's right," Skinner smiled, happy to see that Jake did seem to understand.

"See, I'm not a total idiot. I know about gay stuff."

"Well, if that's true Jake, why did you react that way when you found Fox in your bedroom?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I guess he made me a little nervous."

"Do you know why?" he asked in a gentle voice.

Skinner saw his nephew wrestling with his answer. 

"Maybe it's because I know he's gay. I mean, I never really met a gay guy before and... um.. I’ve heard stuff."

"What kind of stuff did you hear?"

"Well, I heard that...you know...they do things to other guys," he admitted shyly.

Skinner laughed to himself then shook his head. 

"By things do you mean sex?"

"Yeah and...other things," he said, lowering his eyes.

"Jake, who told you about those things?"

"This guy at school. He told us his brother was in jail and these guys tried to...you know...rape...him."

"Jake, the guys who tried to do that to your friend's brother were criminals. Lowlifes. I'm gay--do you think I could ever do that to someone?"

"Of course not!" he said indignantly.

"Then you'll agree being a gay man doesn't mean you're capable of raping another guy."

"Yeah.

"Then why do you think Fox would have done that to you?"

Jake sighed loudly.

"It's not that I thought he was going to rape me. I just got embarrassed to have him seeing me in my underwear."

"Did you think he was going to come on to you or he would be attracted to you?"

Jake looked at his uncle, trying to make sense of his feelings about the question.

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Jake, I'm gay and I'm not attracted to you."

"But you're my uncle."

"What I'm trying to say is gay men aren't attracted to every man they see. Are you attracted to every girl you see?"

"No."

"Ya' see? It's the same thing. You being a guy doesn't mean a gay guy would find you attractive. Do you understand?"

Jake nodded. "I think so."

"Besides," Skinner continued, "Fox knows you're my nephew, which makes you his nephew, too. He would never be attracted to a family member, just like you would never be attracted to your own mother." 

Skinner saw Jake frown at the thought. 

"Tell me Jake, when you knew you were coming out here to meet me for the first time, were you nervous at all about it?" Skinner asked curiously.

Jake shook his head.

"No. I was kind of excited. Mom told me so much about you being the Assisant Director of the FBI and what a great big brother you were. I couldn't wait to meet you."

Skinner smiled.

"So, it didn't bother you I was gay?"

"No. I think I kind of forgot about it, but when I saw Fox...."

"...you remembered I was gay and it bothered you," Skinner finished.

"I don't know if it bothered me. I just knew it was a little weird to be meeting my uncle's... boyfriend. I don't know. It was freaky."

"I can imagine it would be," Skinner chuckled.

Just then Mulder came in from (apparently) another run. He looked at both Skinner and Jeff then turned to close the door.

"Hey Fox, are you okay?" Skinner said moving towards him, touching the side of his face.

"Yeah, better. How are things here?" Mulder asked, glancing at Jake.

Skinner looked at Jake. 

"Oh, things are better here, too. Jake and I had a nice talk. I think Jake understands things a little better now. Don't ya' Jake?" he asked walking over to him and squeezing his shoulder. 

"Yeah." He saw his uncle's glare and changed the word. "I mean, yes. Yes Sir, I understand." 

"Is there anything you'd like to say to your Uncle Fox?" Skinner coaxed.

Mulder looked at him with surprise at being called 'Uncle Fox'.

Jake got up from the couch and walked over to Mulder, his hands jammed deep into the pockets of his jeans. 

"Fox, I mean, Uncle Fox-- I'm really sorry about what happened earlier. It was really dumb of me to act like that," Jake admitted, keeping his head down.

Mulder smiled at him. "It's okay Jake, as long as things are okay between us now," he said, holding up his fist to give Jake a fist bump.

Jake lifted his head and touched his fist to Mulder's. "Yeah, we're good," he smiled then turned to his uncle. 

"Uncle Walt, I'm really hungry. Can we have breakfast now, please?"

"Yeah, Uncle Walt, can we eat now?" Mulder teased.

"Sure, but first young man, you need to take a shower...again," Skinner said, frowning and pushing his lover towards the stairs.

"All right, but keep a couple of waffles warm for me. I'll be back down before you know it." Mulder ran up the stairs two at a time.

"Jake, you can go on into the kitchen. I'll make the first couple for you." 

Jake ran eagerly into the kitchen.

For the rest of the day, Mulder and Skinner took Jake on a tour of DC. Jake tried his best to pretend to be interested in all the monuments. He did seem to be intrigued with the burial sites and tombs. Mulder made it a point to give him all the folklore and paranormal stories that came with them. When they got back home, they watched a few DVD's and ate microwave popcorn. Later on, Mulder and Jake played with the PlayStation 2-- Skinner’s gift to Mulder for Christmas. Things seemed to be going better between the two of them. It was good to see.

 

Later that evening ~

"Fox! Fox!" Skinner called from the living room while hanging up the phone.

"Yeah, what's up?" Mulder asked, coming out of the kitchen.

"I just got a call from the Bureau. They're holding a meeting tomorrow morning for all the department AD's in Chicago and it's mandatory that I attend," Skinner told him solemnly.

"In Chicago? But tomorrow's New Year's Eve," Mulder whined.

"I know sweetie, but there's nothing I can do. I'll try to be home before midnight," Skinner assured, caressing his lover's cheek with the back of his fingers.

"I can't believe they would call a meeting on the last day of the year," Mulder pouted. "I wanted us to be together."

Just then, Jake came down stairs from his bedroom.

"Hey guys, what's up?" he asked, looking at Mulder falling into the chair, obviously upset.

"Walter has to go to a meeting tomorrow morning in Chicago and may not be here for New Year's Eve," Mulder explained.

Jake looked at his uncle. 

"The Bureau just called. I'm hoping it won't take all day. I told Fox I'll try to make it home before midnight."

"You know those meeting usually take all day and night. You'll probably end up in Chicago for New Year's," Mulder said, continuing to pout. 

"Well, let's hope not. Jake, I'm going to leave you here with Fox. I'm sure you two will find something to do."

"Um...Uncle Walt, I was going to ask if you could take me to New York City to see the ball drop in Times Square. I've always wanted to go there and see it. It's one of the reasons I asked mom to let me come visit you."

"No way, Jake! It's an absolute madhouse down there on New Year's Eve. I've never wanted to go and won't start now. Besides, I have a meeting to go to, remember?"

"I heard ya', but what about Uncle Fox? He could take me," Jake said, grinning at Mulder.

Mulder thought this would be a perfect way to win the boy over. 

"Yeah, I could. It'll be fun," Mulder said, grinning back at Jake.

"No, you can't. I don't want the two of you going down there. It's not safe," Skinner admitted.

"How's it not safe? Uncle Fox is an FBI agent, for crying out loud. He's got a gun and everything," Jake said, trying to be convincing.

"That's true Walter. You know I could take care of the both of us," Mulder said, adding fuel to the fire.

Skinner glared at his lover. 

"Fox, can I see you in the kitchen for a moment, please?" He walked over to him, grabbing him by the arm and escorted him towards the kitchen. Jake just stood there watching them. 

"We'll be right back, Jake."

Once they were in the kitchen, Skinner lit into Mulder. 

"Fox, what were you trying to do out there?! Don’t tell me you didn’t realize I was trying to talk Jake out of going to New York on New Year's Eve," he shouted in a low voice.

"Walter, what's wrong with me taking him? He's always wanted to go and you know I can take care of him. It would be fun for him."

"Fox, I said no! I don't want him to go and I don't want you to take him. Is that understood? It's too crazy down there. It's not that I don't think you can take care of him, because I know you could. I just don't want him down there. I promised his mom I would take care of him. Maybe if I was able to go along-- but I can't. Please obey me in this, Fox," Skinner implored. 

Mulder looked at him for a moment before nodding.

"I mean it, Fox. You know what will happen if you don't listen to me, don't you?"

Mulder rolled his eyes then nodded. 

"I won't hesitate to take care of you before Jake leaves, so if you don't want to be embarrassed..."

"Okay, okay, I heard you!" Mulder shouted, interrupting Skinner then storming out the kitchen. 

Jake was waiting on the couch and jumped up as soon as he saw Mulder come into the living room.

"Uncle Fox, did you talk Uncle Walt into letting you take me to New York?" he asked eagerly.

Mulder sighed, shaking his head. 

"No, Jake, he won't let us go, but we can find something fun to do here," Mulder told him, trying to sound happier. 

Just then Skinner came into the room. Jake glared at him.

"I can't believe you're not letting us go! New Year's Eve is going to suck big time! I wish I had stayed home!" he yelled then ran up the stairs to his bedroom, slamming the door.

 

End of Chapter One


	2. The Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fox has to decide whether he's going to listen to his lover or a 15 year-old boy.

Both men flinched at the sound of the slamming door. Skinner didn't expect the sudden explosion of anger from his nephew. He glanced at Mulder.

"I had no idea he would get that upset," Skinner admitted.

"Apparently he really wanted to go. It's mostly my fault he's so upset. I shouldn't have given him the impression I could take him without getting your permission first. I'll go up and talk to him," Mulder said, running up the stairs to Jake's bedroom.

Skinner nodded, then ran his hand over his scalp in frustration. 

Mulder knocked on the door and waited to be let in. When he didn't get a response, he knocked again.

"Jake, please let me in. I'd like to talk to you," Mulder shouted.

"It's open!" Jake yelled in reply.

Mulder pushed the door open and peered inside. Jake was lying on the bed wearing his headset, apparently listening to music. Mulder turned to close the door, then walked over to the bed. Jake didn't acknowledge him at all. His eyes were closed and he was tapping his foot to the music. 

"Jake," Mulder called.

No response.

"Jake!" Mulder shouted.

Still no response. Mulder leaned down and gently pulled the headset off his head.

"Hey!" Jake exclaimed.

"I said I wanted to talk to you, so I think that means you have to listen."

Jake put the headset around his neck then looked up at Mulder.

"There's nothing to talk about. He won't let you take me to New York."

Jake was about to replace the headset on his head when he thought of something to add.

"How old are you anyway?" Jake asked.

Mulder was somewhat surprised by the question.

"I'm 40. Why?"

Jake frowned. 

"You're 40 years old and you let him tell you what to do? At 40 nobody's gonna' tell me what to do. I'm gonna' come and go as I please and do whatever I want," Jake said as he changed turned his attentions back to his cell phone.

Mulder sat down on the side of Jake's bed. 

"Believe it or not, I can come and go as I please. And I can do whatever I want...within reason, that is." Mulder smiled embarrassingly.

Jake was still wearing his frown. 

"It doesn't sound like that to me. You wanted to take me to New York and he said you couldn't-- so you're not going to. That doesn't sound like someone who can do what he wants."

Mulder thought -- **Damn, the kid had a point**

"Jake, when you're in a relationship, sometimes you have to compromise. Walter and I discussed me taking you to New York and we both decided it wasn't a good idea."

"Bull! You wanted to go. I saw the look on your face when you came out the kitchen. You were as disappointed as I was."

"You're right. I wanted to go, but..."

"...but nothin'. If you want to go, I don't understand why we can't. You're a grown man. Uncle Walt shouldn't be controlling you," Jake spat.

Mulder sat there looking helpless. The boy was right, Walter shouldn't be controlling him like this. He really did want to take him to New York. He hated that Walter wasn't letting him go. It was like he didn't trust him to take care of his nephew.

"Jake, he doesn't really control me."

"Then why can't we go to New York?" Jake whined.

Mulder sighed aloud. 

"Because something might happen and your uncle would never forgive me."

"What could happen? You're an FBI agent with a gun."

"It's not about having a gun. New York is a really big city and on New Year's Eve, it's a madhouse. I would rather have the permission of your uncle before I took you. I'm sorry, Jake," Mulder said sincerely.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry you're afraid of your boyfriend," Jake hissed.

Mulder blinked at him. 

"What are you talking about?"

"I had this friend. Her boyfriend used to not let her do anything. If she did anything without his permission, he would beat her. We used to hang out together. When he found out, he told her she couldn't see me anymore. When she did, he gave her a busted lip. After that, she was afraid to see me, so she didn't."

"Jake, you don't know what you're talking about. I'm not afraid of Walter," Mulder said indignantly.

Of course this wasn't entirely the truth. He was a little afraid of Walter's wrath, for obvious reasons, but he wasn't going to tell Jake that.

"Then why can't you take me to New York without his permission?"

"I told you. It wouldn't be right. He's your uncle and he's responsible for you. I’m not. Legally, I should have his permission to do anything with you, especially take you out of the state."

"Legally? What does that have to do with anything? What-- if something happens to me, he'll arrest you?"

Mulder shook his head in frustration. 

"Jake, you don't understand. It's not as simple as you think."

"Yes it is. He's going to leave you in charge of me while he's at that stupid meeting. You'll be in charge, so we could do what ever you want to do."

**Damn, the kid was sorta' right...**

Mulder pondered what he had just heard. Jake had a good point. Skinner did say he would be taking care of Jake while he was away. What he did with him would-- or should-- be up to him. Even though Mulder knew that might be true, he couldn't help but think about the fact Skinner explicitly told him not to take his nephew to New York. Jake had no idea of the consequences he would suffer if he disobeyed Skinner's wishes. Mulder needed to think about this some more. He decided to sleep on it.

"Look Jake," Mulder said, getting up from the bed and walking towards the door, "I'm going to need time to think about it. I'll let you know in the morning."

Jake just shrugged and went back to listening to his music.

"Good night," Mulder said as he opened the door.

Jake glanced at him then nodded. Mulder left the room and noticed Skinner was in their bedroom. He walked to the doorway and peeked his head inside. Skinner was taking clothes from a drawer and placing them into his suitcase.

"Hey, you packing?" Mulder asked.

Skinner stopped for a moment and looked up. 

"No, I'm baking a cake."

"Ha, ha. I'm going to miss your great sense of humor," Mulder said as he went over to his lover and wrapped his arms around him.

"Fox, I really need to pack. I have a 7:30 flight in the morning."

"It's still early. You'll have plenty of time to pack later," Mulder whispered in Skinner's ear as he continued to disrupt his packing by nibbling on a sensitive lobe.

Skinner dropped the shirt in the suitcase and turned into Mulder's arms. He put his arms around Mulder's waist and pulled him tightly to him.

"Do you want to start something with me?" Skinner asked, sliding his hands down to grab his lover's ass.

"Yeah, I want to start something, just as long as you finish it," Mulder hissed.

In seconds, both men were without clothing and rolling around on the bed. Skinner flipped Mulder onto his back and Mulder's long legs kicked Skinner's suitcase off the bed. It went crashing to the floor. Immediately, both men froze in mid action.

"Christ, Jake's right in the next room. He's going to here us in here," Skinner said in a low voice.

"Don't worry, he's got his headset on. He won't hear a thing," Mulder said confidently.

So they went back to the business at hand without having to worry about the young man in the next room hearing them....

Meanwhile in the next room, a young man was listening intently, his ear pressed against the air vent. He was actually listening ever since Mulder left his room. He wanted to hear if they were discussing Mulder taking him to New York. He had no idea they wouldn't be talking at all. He continued to listen to the strange sounds coming from the room. A part of him knew it was really wrong to do this, but another part of him-- the horny 15 year old part-- couldn't resist even if this meant listening in on his uncle having sex. He wished he could see through the wall, like Superman. He'd bet it would be a real education...

 

December 31st (New Year's Eve)  
Early in the morning

Mulder woke up in an empty bed. His lover was gone. He glanced bleary eyed at the clock. Shit! It was 5:16 AM. He remembered Walter saying his flight was at 7:30. He hoped he hadn't left already to catch his flight. Mulder jumped out of the bed, pulling on a robe to cover his nakedness. As he got to the top of the stairs, he saw Skinner's bags standing near the front door. Thank God he's still here, Mulder thought. He jogged down the stairs and into Skinner coming from the kitchen.

"Hey, I thought you had gone without saying good-bye," Mulder pouted playfully.

Skinner stopped and waited for his lover to come all the way down the stairs. When Mulder got to the last step, Skinner reached up and pulled his head towards him for a hard kiss.

"I would never think of doing something like that. I was going to come up and give you a good-bye kiss," Skinner said, rubbing the back of Mulder's neck.

"I guess I beat you to it, huh?" Mulder grinned, grabbing on to Skinner's tie.

"Yeah, ya' did," Skinner said, his hand moving under the robe to massage a naked shoulder. As his hand took its journey, Mulder's robe fell open. Skinner then slid his hand to Mulder's back and pulled Mulder into him. Mulder took advantage of this and began to grind his cock into his lover's clothed body. Skinner felt a surge of arousal permeate his groin. He knew if he didn't stop this now, he would never catch his plane.

"Fox, we can't. If I miss my flight, there won't be another one until 8:45. My meeting is at 10," he announced, as he reluctantly backed away from Mulder.

Mulder stopped his assault and stood watching Skinner moving to get his overcoat from the closet. He cinched his robe and leaned against the banister.

"You'll be back before the new year, right?" Mulder asked hopefully.

Skinner turned to face Mulder while he was pulling on his coat.

"I'm going to do everything in my power to make that happen. I promise," he said, coming to give his lover a kiss. Skinner wanted it to be a gentle peck, but Mulder wanted more. He grabbed the back of Skinner's head and pulled him in for a rough, passionate kiss. When it had finally ended, both men were weak and breathless.

"Fox, please don't do this to me. I've got to go." Skinner backed away from Mulder and picked up his bags.

"I could have driven you to the airport, ya' know."

"I know babe, but I wouldn't have wanted to wake Jake up this early to come with us and I didn't want to leave him here alone until you got back." Skinner moved closer to the door and Mulder followed him.

"Oh, I meant to ask: You have anything planned for today? I know Jake's disappointed about not being able to go to New York."

Mulder shrugged. "Not really, but I'll think of something."

"If I get back before midnight, the three of us could do something fun to bring in the New Year. I'll call when I get there and when I'm about to leave," he said as he leaned to give his lover one more kiss. "I'll try to be back real soon. And tell Jake I'll see him later."

Mulder opened the door for him then leaned against the sill.

"I will," Mulder smiled as he watched Skinner get into his car. After waving to one another, Skinner drove out of sight. Mulder closed the door with a sigh then glanced up the stairs towards his young guest's bedroom. He didn't get much sleep last night thinking about their conversation. He wanted so much for the young man to like him. If he took him to New York to bring in the New Year, he would most definitely be the boy's favorite uncle. Jake was finally warming up to him, but Mulder still sensed something. Surely, defying Skinner to do something he wanted to do would prove to Jake that Mulder was and okay dude.

Mulder went back upstairs to his bedroom and threw himself onto the bed, covering his eyes with his arm. As much as he wanted to take Jake to New York, he couldn't help but know he would be in deep shit with Skinner if he did. There was no way they could go and get back before he got back. Like an idiot, he practically begged for him to be back before midnight. Just the thought of Skinner getting back before midnight and finding his note saying he and Jeff went to New York made him feel ill. He would surely endure a very painful horrible death at the hand of his lover. Mulder sat up shaking his head. No, there was no way he would be able to take Jake to New York.

Mulder got up and began to pace. What was he going to tell Jake? He told him he would sleep on it and let him know in the morning. He could just see the boy's expression when he told him he wasn't going to take him. First, it would be disappointment then secondly, there would be gloating. Jake would automatically think he was right and Mulder was indeed afraid of what his uncle would do if he took him to New York without his permission. 

Mulder was afraid of the consequences of taking him, but he could still not consider the possibility of telling Jake that. What reason could he give as to why he wasn't taking him that wouldn't have anything to do with Skinner? Mulder decided to jump in the shower and think about it.

By the time he finished his shower, he came up with what he thought was a pretty good reason. He would have Scully call him saying he had to come to the office to do something today. Wait a minute...where would Jake be while he was at the office? He supposed he could bring him along, but once they got there, what would he do? Shit! That wasn't a good idea after all. He needed a good reason not to be able to go to New York that didn't make him look like he was afraid to disobey Skinner. 

While he thought, he changed his clothes and went downstairs to the kitchen. Maybe coffee would help his brain come up with something. He put on some coffee and sat at the table with his chin resting on his hands. Once the coffee was ready, he poured himself some then added Stevia and some low-fat milk. He leaned back and began to drink it slowly. When he looked up from his mug, Jake was standing in the doorway, yawning and scratching his head.

"Hey, you're up early," Mulder said, not hiding his surprise.

"Yeah, I smelled the coffee. Do you mind if I have a mug?"

"No. Sit, I'll get you some," Mulder said, getting up to get another mug.

"Milk and sugar?" Mulder asked.

"No, thanks." 

He placed the coffee in front of Jake, who grabbed it like a starving man.

"So, you drink coffee...and black at that," Mulder said, sipping his own.

"Yeah, ever since I was 13."

"Wow. I didn't drink coffee until I was in college. Mom drank a lot of tea. I never could take it black."

"I used to drink it with a lot of milk and sugar. Once we were out of milk and sugar, I started taking it black."

"Oh, I see," Mulder remarked.

Then came the awkward silence. He and Jake sat pretending drinking their coffee was the most important thing in the world. Finally, Jake broke the silence.

"So, are we going to New York?" he asked with a hint of skepticism.

Mulder hoped he wouldn't have asked that until much later, at least until he had the time to come up with some kind of explanation. To stall a bit more, Mulder drank more of his coffee until there wasn't any left. He slowly put the mug down and glanced at the young man. Jake gave him a smirk.

"I knew it. I knew you were afraid to disobey your boyfriend."

"Ya' know Jake, I don't think you deserve to go anywhere. I don't like your attitude and I'm sure your uncle wouldn't like the way you were talking to me. Your mother would probably not like you being so disrespectful, either," Mulder said sternly, fed up with Jake's attitude.

Jake sat looking wide-eyed at his adopted uncle.

"Um...Uncle Fox, you wouldn't tell my Mom, would you? I didn't mean anything by what I said. I was only foolin' with ya'," Jake said, with fear in his voice.

It was now Mulder's turn to smirk.

"Jake, don't tell me a big guy like you is afraid of his mother?"

"Hell yeah! You have no idea what my Mom would do to me if you told her I was disrespecting you! Once when I was at this fancy restaurant, I was mouthing off because she wouldn't order me dessert. Since we were at the table with friends of hers, she excused us and took me into the restroom. She pushed me in a stall and began to spank my butt. When I got back to the table, I could hardly sit down. I also had to apologize to everyone at the table for my behavior," Jake admitted.

Mulder raised his eyebrows. 

"How old were you at the time, Jake?"

"I was...um...14," he said with embarrassment.

"So, that happened just last year. Wow. Your Mom doesn't seem to play, does she?" Mulder commented.

"No, she doesn't. I couldn't believe she did that to me."

"Was that the last time you were spanked?" Mulder asked.

Jake shook his head.

"Did your mom spank you?" Jake asked.

"Yeah, I got spanked," Mulder answered simply.

"A lot?"

"No, not too much."

"How old were you when you last got spanked?"

"By my mom? I was 12."

"You got spanked by someone other than your mom?"

**Christ! I can't believe we're having this conversation!**

"Yeah."

"Your dad? Before my dad died, he used to spank me. I much rather my mom do it because she doesn't hit as hard."

"No, he wasn't my dad."

"But it was a man. Who was it and how old were you when he last spanked you?"

**My lover and I was 39 almost 40**

Just then, the phone rang.

**Talk about being saved by the bell**

Mulder practically ran to answer it.

"Mulder."

"Hey babe, it's me. I got here fine, but I've got some bad news. It seems the meeting has turned into a two-day seminar. I won't be back until New Year's Day, sometime in the afternoon. I'm so sorry, but there's nothing I could do," Skinner said sorrowfully.

"I understand. I guess Jake and I will have to find something to do together. Don't worry, I'll think of something."

"Thanks babe. How's Jake? Is he still asleep?"

"No, he's here with me in the kitchen. We're drinking coffee," Mulder said, glancing at his young house guest who was, in turn, watching him closely.

"Can I talk to him?"

"Sure," Mulder answered, handing the phone to Jake. "It's your Uncle Walt."

"Hey Uncle Walt!"

"Hi Jake. How are things going?"

"Fine."

"Good. Look, I just told Fox some bad news. I won't be home until New Year's Day. It turns out this meeting is a two-day seminar. You and Fox are going to have to bring in the New Year without me. I'm sorry."

"That's okay. I'm sure Uncle Fox and I will find something to do," Jake said, smirking at Mulder.

"Good. Remember, Fox is in charge, so do what he says. Okay?"

"Okay, Uncle Walt. I will."

"Let me talk to Fox again."

Jake gave the phone over to Mulder.

"I explained everything to Jake. I told him you were in charge and he's to do as you say. Maybe when I get home, we can still do something to celebrate the New Year."

"Yeah, that would be great! I'll see you soon. Love you."

"I love you too, babe. Bye!" Skinner said.

"Bye!" Mulder turned off the phone and turned to see Jake beaming at him.

"What are you grinning about?" Mulder asked, getting up to take the mugs to the sink.

"I'm just happy because we get to go to New York after all."

Mulder spun around. "What are you talking about?"

"Come on, you can't tell me we still can't go! Uncle Walt won't be back until New Year's Day. We could go to New York and be back before he ever knew we went."

"Jake, I don't think that would be a good idea," Mulder admitted.

"Why not?! You're in charge and I know you still want to go," he said, getting up from the table.

"What if I told you I didn't want to go anymore?"

"I know you wouldn't be telling the truth. Christ Uncle Fox, what's the big deal? What are you afraid of? It's not like Uncle Walt will spank you when you got back for not doing what he said," Jake said, getting increasingly frustrated.

**Oh, if you only knew...**

Mulder bent his head and shook it from side to side. He knew this boy wasn't going to let this go. He was a persistent little shit. Mulder was sure Jake was determined to make his life a living hell if he didn't give in and take him to New York. He had to admit since Skinner wasn't going to be home by midnight, the idea of going wasn't so bad. They could get a flight out to New York and catch the red eye back to Virginia by New Year's Day, getting back early in the morning. Skinner never had to know a thing. He hated deceiving him like this but he was an adult, perfectly capable of doing whatever he wanted to do.

Mulder looked at Jake. "How quickly can you be dressed and back downstairs?"

"In no time. Why, are we going to New York?" Jake asked eagerly.

"Yeah. I'm going to try to get us a flight out as soon as possible," Mulder picked up the phone and pressed in some numbers. He glanced at his watch. It was 10:13 AM. If he could get a flight out by noon, they could be in New York for lunch, well before the ball dropped. They could even use the extra time to get great positions down in Times Square...

"Yes!" Jake exclaimed, bringing down his fist triumphantly then turning and bolting from the kitchen.

Mulder waited for the connection, all the while knowing this was probably a really bad idea.

 

End of Chapter Two


	3. The Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulder and Jake celebrate New Year's Eve in The Big Apple, but will Skinner find out?

Mulder was able to book a non-stop flight out of DC, which was due to arrive at New York's Kennedy Airport at 1:40 PM. The flight was departing at 12:05 PM. Mulder drove down to DC then left his car in the airport parking lot. They were able to make it to the airport with enough time to grab a bite before boarding since all they had was coffee for breakfast.

Jake had to be the most excited teenager within a three-mile radius. This would be his first trip to New York. He had heard so many stories. During the flight he was constantly asking Mulder to tell him all about the city, since Mulder told him he’d been there on several occasions. The first time Mulder was in New York he was on a case. He hadn't had much time to really check out the town but told himself he would return someday just to find out why it was called 'the city that never sleeps'. 

A few years later he did return but it wasn't exactly a pleasure trip. Another case sent he and Scully there to investigate some odd murders in The Bronx, one of the boroughs of New York City. They were there for a few days. This time, he forced Scully to do some touristy stuff during their last day there. They took in the usual sights. While their tour bus passed through an area called Greenwich Village, Mulder noticed many affectionate same sex couples walking around. That and the rainbow flags all over the place, told Mulder this was an area where gays resided. By that time, he and Skinner were just beginning their relationship. He knew from that moment he definitely had to return with his lover some day....

The last time Mulder came to New York was two years ago. He and Skinner were well into their relationship by then and Mulder had been bugging Skinner to go to New York with him. They got a hotel in the village -- a 4 star hotel called Walker Hotel Greenwich Village. They cruised the various bars and clubs. They 'gallery-hopped' in SoHo, then they cruised more bars and clubs. Mulder was having the time of his life and so was Skinner. 

The thing that made the trip so blissful was the anonymity: With them being in New York there was no chance they would run into anyone they knew. They could actually do PDA's (Public Displays of Affection) wherever and whenever they wanted. Mulder had always wanted to be able to give his lover a caress here or a kiss there, whenever the moment seized him. There was no way they could do it in Crystal City, or in DC for that matter. In public they would have to act as though they were just friends. When they were in the village, at first, Skinner was a little uncomfortable when Mulder grabbed his hand while they were walking down the street towards the Walker Hotel. His immediate reaction was to drop hands, but Mulder held tight and told him not to worry. Eventually, he didn't drop hands and was even able to wrap his arm around Mulder's shoulder as they walked. It was great.

As many times as Mulder had visited New York City, he had never really been to Times Square. He had passed through it on the tour bus but never walked the streets. It was an exciting area filled with lights, billboards, theaters, restaurants and hundreds and hundreds of people. Every year, he and Skinner would sit and watch, “New Year's Rockin' Eve”, which broadcast live from Times Square. Dick Clark would be there counting down the seconds to the New Year. Skinner would groan and say, "There is no way in hell you would ever get me down there on New Year's Eve". Mulder knew where his lover stood on the subject at that point, but there was something about the event that made him eager to experience it. He wanted to be a part of it-- all the excitement and chaos. Mulder didn't really want to go alone and leave Skinner, so he knew he would probably never get the chance. Now the opportunity was here. He was going to finally get the chance to experience it with Skinner's nephew, of all people, against Skinner's direct wishes. Mulder tried to quickly get that particularly upsetting thought out of his mind. He was thankfully distracted by another question from his young companion.

"Uncle Fox, have you ever been to New York for New Year's Eve?"

"No, I haven't. I've always wanted to, though," Mulder smiled.

"Wow, then this will be your first time too! You don't seem as excited as I am," Jake said, noticing Mulder's mood.

"Oh, I think you've got that covered for the both of us," Mulder remarked, feeling the nervous butterflies flying around in his stomach. From glancing at his watch earlier, he knew they were close to landing. He fought to stay calm and not panic. He so wanted the plane to turn around and take them back to DC. This was so wrong. Skinner's words kept ringing in his ear. He was told to NOT take Jake to New York and here he was, going to New York with Jake. It was an outright defiance that would most definitely turn his ass to grass. There was no way out of it and Mulder knew he would deserve whatever Skinner did to him. 

Mulder sighed and turned to Jake. He was so young and full of wonder about the world around him. He watched the young man for a moment before speaking. Jake felt the hazel eyes on him and turned to meet his gaze.

"Is there something wrong?" Jake asked, somewhat worried.

Mulder smiled. "No, there's nothing wrong. I just realized how really exciting this all must be for you-- going to New York to spend New Year's Eve in Times Square. It's a special time in your life, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah...isn't it special for you?" Jake asked.

"Oh yeah, but not in the same way. I mean, you're 15 and I'm an old man of 40."

"You're not old -- at least you don't look it."

Mulder chuckled. "Thanks. What I mean is this is just one great moment for you and you'll have so many more. I just hope it will turn out to be as special as you imagined it would be."

"Don't worry, Uncle Fox. It'll be totally lit," Jake said grinning.

"Is that better than awesome?" Mulder asked, grinning back.

"Way better."

"Good, then it's gonna' be 'totally lit'," Mulder imitated.

Both of them laughed, then settled back until the plane landed. Jake slipped on his headset and Mulder...well, he just prayed a lot.

 

John F. Kennedy Airport  
Queens, New York

Their plane arrived at Kennedy Airport right on time. As soon as they got off the plane, Jake was searching the airport for a Mickey D's.

"Uncle Fox, come on! I'm starving! The salty nuts and cookies they gave us on the plane wasn't enough to feed a bird!" Jake exclaimed, walking ahead of Mulder.

"Jake, I know you're hungry but I think it would be better if we got something closer to Times Square. That way we could eat then go and find a good place to wait out the New Year."

"How long is it gonna' take us to get to Times Square?"

"Not long. We can grab a cab. Come on," Mulder said. 

Jake reluctantly followed behind.

Once outside, Mulder and Jake got to the taxi station. A cab was waiting there with the driver leaning against it. He stood up as they approached.

"You want a taxi?" the driver asked.

"Yeah," Mulder answered, pulling the door open. He and Jake got inside, closing the door. The driver looked back through the Plexiglas divider.

"Where to?"

Before Mulder could say anything, Jake nudged his arm.

"To get food," Jake insisted.

Mulder glanced at him then turned to the driver.

"Do you know of any good restaurants near Times Square?"

"Near Times Square? It’s New Year's Eve! It’ll probably be real hard to get in anywhere. Maybe a fast food place," the driver offered.

"Yeah, yeah, Mickey D's or Burger King!" Jake exclaimed.

"Okay. Is there a McDonald's or a Burger King near there?"

"I don't know about a Burger King, but I have seen a McDonald's," the driver answered.

"Good. Let's go there," Mulder said, settling back as the cab pulled out and headed towards Manhattan. Jake sat back, slid on his headphones and listened to music as he looked out the window. The driver took the Midtown Tunnel into Manhattan then headed up to 42nd street, going west. As soon as they got to 5th Avenue, they hit standstill traffic. They sat for what seemed like forever.

"When are we going to move? I'm starving," Jake whined.

Mulder leaned up and looked through the glass divider then he glanced at his watch. It was after 2:30 P.M.

"How close are we?" Mulder asked the driver.

"Well, there's a McDonald's on 6th - about a block away," the driver said.

"Come on Uncle Fox, let's go to that one!"

"All right," Mulder said, pulling out his wallet to pay the driver. After paying, he and Jake got out. Sixth Avenue was the next block over, so they started walking. Although Jeff was desperate to get there, he couldn't keep from looking up and around at his surroundings.

"I can't believe I'm actually here! New York City!" he yelled.

"Yeah. The Big Apple, the city that never sleeps," Mulder remarked.

"Why do they call it that?" Jake asked.

"Which, The Big Apple or the city that never sleeps?"

"Both," Jake said simply.

"Well, it's the city that never sleeps because there's always something to do here - 24/7."

"And The Big Apple?"

Mulder thought about it. He never really knew why they called it that.

"Ya' know Jake, I really don't know," Mulder admitted.

"Maybe it's like the apple from Adam and Eve," Jake said.

Mulder looked over at his young companion with a puzzled expression.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, my mom says New York City is like this evil place, where a lot of bad things happen to people. That's why she didn't want me to ever come here but a lot of people still want to come, including me. It's kind of like the city is tempting you to come, like Eve did with the apple to Adam. You know it might be bad, but you can't help wanting it. New York represents the apple Adam wasn't supposed to eat. That's why it's called The Big Apple," Jake explained.

Mulder looked at Jake with amazement.

"Wow, you thought of that all by yourself?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I've never really heard that reason but it's a very interesting one, even if it is a bit inaccurate.”

"How so?"

"Well, New York City really isn't that bad. I mean a lot has changed in this town over the last couple of years. I heard they got rid of a lot of the bad element in and around Times Square."

"That maybe true, but the term The Big Apple is old. When they called it that, things were different and maybe the term fit more," Jake said.

"You've got a point. Anyone ever tell you you're a really smart kid?"

"Tell that to my mom. She's always telling me I don't use my brain enough," Jake chuckled.

"Well, that doesn't mean you're not smart, it just means you don't always make the right decisions," Mulder said, speaking from personal experience.

"Hey look! Mickey D's!" Jake shouted, pointing across the street. Mulder looked and saw the McDonald's on the other side of the street. Jake rushed off to cross.

"Slow down Jake," he yelled, running behind him. 

Jake got to the entrance and pulled the door open. Mulder caught the door before it closed and followed him in. As soon as they stepped in, Mulder noticed there weren't any seats or tables. On one of the walls, there was a sign: "McDonald's Express". Mulder guessed that was why there weren’t any seats. It was a take-out place.

"Jake, there’s no place to sit," Mulder said, apparently to himself. Jake was already at the counter placing his order. Mulder shrugged and got in line behind him. After they both got their food, Jake turned to look for a seat.

"Hey—where’re the seats?" Jake asked.

"I was trying to tell you-- It's an express McDonald's. Only take-out."

Jake frowned. "Then where are we going to eat?"

Mulder remembered passing a park area across the street.

"Let's go across the street and eat in that park," Mulder suggested.

Jake shrugged, then they walked outside and over to the park. It was Bryant Park, an outdoor area behind the New York Public Library. It was kind of cold, so there weren’t many people there. Mulder had made Jake wear layers and layers of clothes knowing they would be out in the cold for hours, so he was prepared. Mulder also wore layers so he wasn't feeling the cold, either. It would be a little hard to eat wearing gloves, but they'd manage. They both found a bench and settled down to eat. Jake was inhaling his super-sized Big Mac, fries and Coke. Mulder had a super-sized Quarter Pounder with cheese meal. Between bites, Jake was able to make conversation.

"When was the last time you were here?" Jake asked.

"In New York? About two years ago," Mulder answered, taking a bit of his burger.

"Did you come to Times Square?"

"No. I went to a place called Greenwich Village."

"Where's that?"

"Further downtown."

"Did you come by yourself?"

"No, I came with your Uncle Walt."

Jake looked at Mulder.

"What did you do there?"

"Nothin' much. We just checked out a few bars and stuff," Mulder shrugged, feeling a little uncomfortable with where the conversation was heading.

"Gay bars?" Jake asked, shoving a couple of fries in his mouth.

Mulder glanced at Jake and saw real interest in his face.

"Yeah, we went to a few."

"Are there a lot of them in Greenwich Village?"

"Yeah. It's an area where a lot of gay people live and hang out."

Jake raised his eyebrows as he sipped his Coke.

"Are straight people allowed to go there?"

"Yeah, sure," Mulder smiled.

Jake nodded, finishing his fries. Mulder suddenly thought of something Jake said earlier.

"Your mom never wanted you to come to New York, did she?"

Jake lowered his head and gave Mulder a sideways glance.

"Um... no, she didn't," he finally answered.

"So, you asked to be taken to New York knowing your mother wouldn't approve?"

"Well, yeah. It was the only way I could get here," Jake admitted.

"You used us! You knew your mother wouldn't want you come here, so you got us—me-- to bring you!" Mulder shouted.

"Uncle Fox, chill! I knew you or Uncle Walt wouldn't mind taking me, so I decided to ask you. I wasn't using you," Jake implored.

"Do you really think I'm that stupid? Come on Jake! You knew your mom wouldn't let you come to New York, so you got me to take you knowing she wouldn't want it."

Jake hung his head. He knew Mulder had his number. He did use him to do something he knew his mother would never let him do.

"I'm sorry Uncle Fox. You're right, I did use you to get to come to New York, but you did want to bring me, didn't you?" Jake asked innocently.

"Whether I wanted to bring you or not isn't the point. You deliberately had me do something you knew your mother would have never allowed." Mulder paused, thought for a moment then continued: "Just like you got me to bring you here knowing your uncle didn't want it. You are a conniving little SOB, aren't you?" Mulder asked, glaring at his adopted nephew.

Jake looked at Mulder through his lashes and shrugged.

"I have a good mind to take you back right now," Mulder threatened.

Jake looked at him with alarm.

"Uncle Fox, you wouldn't do that, would you?” Jake beseeched. “Not after we've come all this way..." 

He was right. They had flown all the way to see the freakin' ball drop. To go back now without seeing it would be a little ridiculous. And he wanted to see it himself. Mulder had another thought:

"How about I give your mother a call when we get back telling her where you've been?" Mulder asked with an evil smirk.

Jake looked even more alarmed at this news.

"No, you can't! She would kill me! Anything but that! Please!"

Mulder thought it over. He knew the boy needed to be punished for his deception, but his mother sounded a bit harsh. Maybe it would be better to keep this between them. After all, he was in Mulder's care. Why bother her with it now? Plus if she knew about them going to New York, she would surely tell Walter-- and that couldn't happen. Mustn’t happen...

Mulder had to think of something else.

"Okay Jake, I tell ya' what-- if you promise never ever to do something like this again, I won't say anything to you mom. Deal?" Mulder asked, extending his hand.

Jake looked at the hand presented to him then looked up into Mulder’s face. With his mouth gapping, he slowly took the hand and shook it.

"You mean that's it? I'm not going to get punished?" Jake asked, amazed.

"Nope, just as long as you keep your word to never do this again," Mulder said.

Jake began to shake Mulder's hand vigorously.

"I will! I promise! I promise!" Jake exclaimed.

Mulder began to laugh.

"Okay, okay, that's enough!" he exclaimed, pulling his hand back. He glanced at his watch. It was near 4:00 PM. They really needed to get to Times Square which he knew was a couple of blocks away.

"Jake, let's finish up. We need to get to the Square to get a good spot," Mulder said, pushing his empty cartons in the paper bag. When Mulder stood up, Jake got up, too, and threw his arms around him.

"Thank you, Uncle Fox."

Jake held the embrace for a few seconds, then quickly let go and moved away. Mulder stood there for a moment, somewhat surprised by Jake's sudden PDA. Before he could get too far, Mulder reached out and grabbed Jake's shoulder, gently squeezing it. Jake glanced back at Mulder and gave him a shy smile then walked away. He was glad the boy was okay with showing him affection like that in public. At least one good thing came out of this experience, Mulder thought to himself.

"Let's go," Jake said, grabbing his trash and heading for the nearest garbage can. He disposed of his trash and Mulder did the same, then they walked towards the bright lights and excitement of Times Square.

 

The closer they got to 6th avenue they noticed all the barricades and police lining the streets. Already there were hordes of people. As Mulder and Jake got to the corner, barricades were blocking their way. It seemed the police wanted to confine everyone to a single area. They walked to where they could get across then Mulder looked back at Jake.

"Jake, stay close to me. Grab the back of my jacket if you have to," Mulder said.

Jake nodded and did as he was told. The last thing he wanted was to lose his uncle. 

Mulder moved through the tight crowd with Jake clutching his jacket tightly. Mulder was glad he told him to do that. He felt secure feeling the tug behind him. It wasn't easy. They were being pushed and shoved with every step the closer they got to the main area beneath the ball.

"Man, this is crazy! All of these people!" Jake exclaimed, as he tried to not let go of Mulder.

"Just don't let go of me! We'll be on the other side soon," Mulder shouted as he made his way through the crowd. Once they got to the main area, Mulder tried to move to a spot where they would stay for the rest of the evening. He saw a somewhat less congested space and went over to it. It was near one of the barricades.

"Whew! We made it!" Mulder sighed.

"Is this where we're gonna' stand to see the ball drop?" Jake asked, looking up at the ball.

"Yeah. It's a pretty good spot, don't ya' think?"

Jake glanced at his watch.

"It's only five o'clock. We're going to have to stand here for 7 hours!" Jake realized.

Mulder gave him a puzzled look.

"Well yeah. You wanted to get a good spot, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but I don't want to stand out here for 7 hours. Isn't there anything else we could do until then?"

"I guess so, but we'll lose this spot," Mulder admitted, somewhat disappointed.

"Shouldn't we be able to see the ball from anywhere in the area?"

"I suppose so."

"Then let's do something until it's time."

"All right. What do you want to do?"

"There must be hundreds of things," Jake insisted.

Mulder thought about it for a moment. What could they do to kill some hours?

"How about a movie?" Jake suggested.

"Okay. Which one?"

"Let's get the newspaper and find one," Mulder said as he took Jake back through the crowd and to a newspaper stand. It took forever but they finally got to one and Mulder bought a paper. They walked to a side street to read it.

"Okay, let's see," he said opening the paper to the entertainment section. "I'd like to see the new Avengers movie. Have you seen it yet?"

"No. Let's see that," Jake said.

Mulder glanced at his watch. "It's now 5:20. There's a showing at 5:45 at the Astor Plaza on 44th Street."

"Cool-- let's go!" Jake exclaimed, turning to walk away.

"Whoa! Wait a minute!" Mulder yelled, grabbing Jake's jacket. "Get behind me and hold on like you did before. I don't want to lose you."

Jake got behind Mulder and the two made their way to the theater.

 

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel  
Chicago

While Mulder and Jake were in New York, Skinner was at his seminar. They were taking a break. Skinner glanced at his watch and wondered what his lover and nephew were doing. He was curious to find out what Mulder had planned for them, so he decided to call the house. Skinner pulled out his cell phone and punched in his home number. It rang and rang then the answering machine picked up. He figured they were out, so he didn't leave a message and hung up, then decided to try Mulder's cell. He punched in his number and waited. After a moment, Skinner got his voicemail. Mulder must have shut off his phone.

Skinner put his phone away and sat back in his chair. He began to think - why would Mulder turn off his phone? Maybe they were out at a movie or something and had to turn it off. He didn't think much more about it and figured he could try again later. He went back to the seminar.

 

Times Square  
New York City

Moments before Skinner was trying to reach Mulder on his cell, Mulder had turned off his phone so it wouldn't ring during the movie.

About two and a half hours later, Mulder and Jake were exiting the theater.

"That movie was cool!" Jeff said enthusiastically.

"Yeah, it was good! I'm glad you liked it. Now—are you ready to go and wait for the new year?"

"Definitely," Jake said, glancing at his watch. It was 8:10. They had less than four hours to wait. That was much better than 6 hours, Jake thought. Mulder-- with Jake clutching his jacket behind him-- made their way again through the hordes. The crowd seemed to have grown while they were in the movie.

"Christ! They're even more people out here now!" Jake shouted.

"I know. Just don't let go of me," Mulder ordered.

Basically, there wasn't any place to go. The crowd was dense and no one was doing much moving. Mulder and Jake managed to get to an area where they could see the ball and decided to stay there.

"Jake, I think this is it! We can't go any further," Mulder shouted over the incredible noise.

"That's okay! This place is fine!" Jeff shouted back.

They stood taking in the chaotic scene around them. They were in the midst of wall-to-wall people. There was no way anyone could fall down even if they wanted to. Mulder knew Skinner would never want to do this. Jake seemed to be enjoying himself, though. His eyes were bright as he glanced around at everything and everyone. There were people wearing the weirdest things to celebrate the new year. One woman had on big glasses in the shape of the new year and a man had on a hat that blinked the new year. A guy made his way through the crowd throwing streamers. Jake grabbed a handful and wrapped some around Mulder's neck. Mulder took some, too, dropping it playfully on Jake's head. Then Mulder saw someone selling horns and hats. He waved his arms and got the guy’s attention. When the guy made it to him, Mulder bought two hats and two horns. He let Jake pick out the ones he wanted. After that, they put on their hats and Jake started blowing his horn. 

"Aren't ya' gonna' wait for the new year?!" Mulder yelled.

"I'm practicing!" Jake shouted, blowing the horn in Mulder's face. Mulder retaliated by doing the same to Jake. They began to echo each other, like in ‘dueling banjoes’. 

Finally, the midnight hour was close at hand. Mulder glanced up and noticed the giant digital clock was turned on. It read: 11:58.

"Jake, it's almost time to do the countdown! You ready?" Mulder shouted.

"Yeah!"

When the clock read 11:59, the huge lighted ball began to move down the tower. The crowd started shouting the count down: 

}}}}}}}}}} 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 {{{{{{{{{{

The ball reached its destination and bright lights lit up the words:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!! 

Then the crowd screamed while they threw loads of confetti was being dropped from above and horns were blown. Others were hugging and kissing one another. Mulder looked at Jake then pulled him into an embrace, which the young man returned happily.

"Happy New Year, Jake!"

"Happy New Year, Uncle Fox!"

Once they separated, the ordeal of getting back home suddenly dawned on Mulder. Their flight's departure time was 2:30 AM. They needed to get a cab somehow and get to the airport.

"Jake, we need to start heading to the airport!" Mulder yelled.

"Already?!"

"Yes! It's going to take us a while to find a cab."

After discarding the hats and horns, once again Jake grabbed a hold of Mulder's jacket and they made their way through the disbursing crowd. Mulder figured they should walk away from the main area and get a cab on another avenue, so they went back the way the came and headed east towards 5th Avenue again. 

By the time they got to 5th Avenue, it was 20 minutes later. Mulder got to the corner and started waving his hand at cabs, but they all were taken. Jake was also trying. After another 15 minutes had passed, Jake finally got one. They got in and told the driver to go to Kennedy Airport.

 

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel  
Chicago

A little after midnight, Skinner was in his hotel room trying desperately to reach his lover. His phone was still off... He tried the house and got the machine again. He decided to leave a message this time. When he was done, he sighed aloud. Earlier, a few of the AD's were celebrating in the hotel bar. Skinner decided to join them. After a while his desire to be with his lover became too intense, so he went back to his room. Lying down on the bed, he thought about the last New Year's Eve he spent with Mulder. He missed him so and he wondered if Mulder was missing him wherever he was. He slowly drifted off to sleep, visions of his lover in his mind.

 

John F. Kennedy Airport  
Queens, New York

The cab driver got them to the airport in record time. After giving him a generous tip, Mulder and Jake entered the terminal and checked in. They got there 45 minutes before their flight was to depart. Jake announced he was hungry. Mulder wasn’t surprised, it had been hours since they had eaten popcorn in the movie, so they walked around looking for a place to grab a quick bite. The only place still open was a bar restaurant. They sat at one of the tables and ordered cheeseburgers and something to drink, then waited.

"So-- was bringing in the new year in Times Square 'totally lit'?" Mulder teased.

"It was totally lit up! Thanks so much for taking me!" Jake exclaimed.

"It was my pleasure, Jake-- but do you remember your promise?"

"Yeah, to never deceive anyone to get what I want ever again," Jake answered dutifully.

"Right. I'll let you off the hook about telling your mom as long as you do that."

"I will," Jake yawned. "Where is the food? I'm fallin' asleep." 

The moment he said that, the food appeared. During the meal, Jake was falling asleep in mid-bite. Mulder had to keep nudging him to keep him from dropping his burger or falling into his food. When they were done, Mulder and Jake walked to the gate and stayed there until it was time to board. As soon as Jake sat down, he was asleep. Mulder was pretty tired himself, but knew he had to stay awake so they wouldn't miss the boarding call. When it was time to board, Mulder woke Jake and they boarded the plane. Once again, as soon as Jake got in his seat and was buckled in, he was asleep. This time Mulder could join him and soon he was also asleep before the plane got off the ground.

 

Dulles International Airport  
Virginia

Once they landed, Mulder and Jake picked up the car at the lot and drove back to Crystal City. Jake curled up in the back seat and was sound asleep. Mulder could barely keep his eyes open. He knew he should have checked into a hotel for the night and caught himself a few more Z's, but he wanted to be sure to get home before Walter. Mulder turned on the radio to try to keep awake.

 

Walter and Mulder's Apartment  
Crystal City, Virginia

Finally they were home. It was nearly 5 AM. He shook Jake to wake him and they both walked—or more accurately staggered-- into the house. Once they were inside, Jake went right to the stairs and started up.

"Good night, Uncle Fox," he yawned.

Mulder turned around from closing the door and saw his exhausted nephew.

"Good night, Jake. Sweet dreams," he smiled.

"You too," he said as he moved out of Mulder's sight.

Mulder threw his keys on the hall table and noticed there was a message on the answering machine. He pressed the play button and listened.

{{{{{{ Hey Fox, it's me. I've been trying to reach you but your cell was off, so I decided to leave this message. Listen, day two of the seminar has been cancelled. It seems too many of the AD's were partying too hard New Year's Eve to attend, so I'm heading home. See ya' then babe. I miss you! Bye! {{{{{{{{{{{{

Mulder stared at the machine. His heart was racing and his mouth fell open. He had no idea what time this message was recorded, but since Walter wasn't home yet, it must not have been too long ago. He released a sigh of relief as he deleted the message. Thank God they got home before him, he thought. Just as Mulder was turning away from the machine, he noticed a figure standing at the top of the stairs. When he glanced up, he saw that it was Walter. He staggered back, gasping.

"Fox. I thought I heard something. Where's Jake?"

"Jake? Oh, he went to bed," he said, trying hard not to hyperventilate.

"You guys are just getting in? I was trying to reach you," Skinner said as he walked down the stairs. The only thing he had on was his sweatpants.

"Um...kinda'," Mulder answered, feeling his throat tightening up.

"I guess you heard my message about the second half of the seminar being cancelled," Skinner said, reaching the bottom step.

Mulder moved back a little closer to the front door.

"Yeah, somethin' about everyone partying too hard to attend."

"Yeah. I tried sleeping, figured I’d come back today like I planned, but I couldn’t. Sleep, I mean. So I caught the red eye back as soon as I could. I thought I would find you home."

"How come your car's not in the driveway?" Mulder asked.

"I was too tired to drive, so I decided to leave my car in DC and grab a cab home."

"Oh. So everyone was partying, huh?" Mulder asked.

"Yeah, everyone but me. I was missing you too much to enjoy myself. How about you? What did you two do to bring in the new year? Speaking of...Happy New Year, babe," Skinner said, grabbing his lover and pulling him into a tight embrace. Mulder's body stiffened immediately. All he managed to do was return the greeting with words. When Skinner let him go, Mulder moved back and dug his hands in his pockets, looking down at the floor. This wasn't lost on Skinner, who decided to also back away a little.

"You okay?" Skinner asked, somewhat concerned about his lover's behavior.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired," Mulder admitted.

"So, what did you do?"

"What did we do?" Mulder repeated.

Mulder knew he had to talk around what they actually did.

"Well, we went to a movie."

"Yeah-- and?" Skinner urged.

"And?"

"Fox, you're just getting home now. You can't tell me all you did was go to a movie-- unless the movie was in Alaska," Skinner joked.

**No, New York City...**

"Walter, can I tell you later? I'm really beat...er, I mean exhausted right now," he said, moving past Skinner toward the stairs.

"Fox."

A chill grabbed Mulder's spine at the sound of his name. He answered without turning around.

"Yeah?"

"I want you to tell me where you and Jake have been all night." Skinner's tone was serious.

Mulder swallowed hard then slowly turned around to face his lover. He didn't want to meet his eyes when he declared his guilt, so he kept them lowered.

"We...um...went to a New Year's Eve celebration."

"Really. Where was this celebration?" Skinner asked in a calm tone.

**Hear it comes...**

"In New York," Mulder answered as low as he possibly could. Apparently Skinner still heard him because he brushed past Mulder and quickly began to ascend the stairs without a word.

Mulder turned and watched his lover's retreating form with fearful eyes.

"Walter! Please! I can explain!" Mulder shouted as Skinner continued to climb the stairs silently. After he was out of sight, Mulder heard the sound of the bedroom door shutting. He stood at the bottom of the stairs staring up at the spot where his lover was. His chest and stomach felt tight. He was finding it hard to breathe. He walked over to the couch and threw himself down. He started feeling sick, so he jumped up from the couch and ran to the downstairs bathroom and threw up. His stomach was now empty except for all the butterflies and knots that were still there. He decided the best thing to do was to get some much needed sleep-- or try to at least. In the morning he would be able to think clearer and talk things over with Skinner. 

Mulder went up to the bedroom he shared with Skinner and slowly pushed open the door. Skinner was in bed, so Mulder quietly went about getting ready for bed. Once he was done, he moved to the bed and pulled back the covers.

"Don't," Skinner whispered.

Mulder wasn't sure if he heard anything, so he continued to get in bed.

"Don't!" Skinner exclaimed more forcefully.

This time Mulder definitely heard something.

"What?" he asked, surprised.

"I don't want you here. Find someplace else to sleep," Skinner hissed, keeping his back turned to Mulder.

Mulder's eyes widened in horror, his mouth silently formed the word 'what'. He felt the blood drain from his face as he stood next to the bed for a moment longer then backed away in shock. No matter how mad Skinner had ever been with him, he never forbade him to come to bed. This was bad...

Mulder turned away and padded barefoot towards the door. As he placed his hand on the knob, he looked back at the still form in the bed. After sighing, he opened the door and stepped out into the hall, shutting the door quietly. He got to the staircase railing and leaned on it, suddenly feeling weak. Once he got his bearings, he moved down the stairs and into the living room. He sat down on the couch, resting his elbows on his knees. After a moment he fell to one side, curling his long body into a fetal position. He had forgotten to grab a pillow or blanket before coming down, but it didn't matter. He didn't deserve the comfort they would give him. He shut his eyes tight in an effort to block out everything that had transpired. He drew his knees closer to his chest to try and disappear into a tight ball. Sleep seemed like it would never come, but his body was completely drained from the physical and emotional stress he had placed on it. It was inevitable: sleep would come and momentarily hold him in its embrace, allowing him some respite from the horrendous situation he had put himself in.

End of Chapter Three


	4. The Consequence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skinner revealed the consequence for going against his wishes.

Sometime after noon, Jake woke up and headed to the bathroom to pee. When he came out, he decided to see if Mulder was up and if his uncle had returned. As he went past his uncle's bedroom, he noticed the door was open. No one was inside. He padded downstairs and immediately saw Mulder sprawled on the couch. He went over and stood there, staring down at him. When he didn't stir from his presence, Jake called him.

"Uncle Fox." Mulder still didn't stir, so he called again, louder.

"Uncle Fox!"

Startled, Mulder awoke, looking up at his nephew. He sat up, swinging his legs to the floor and resting his head in his hands. After clearing his throat, he addressed him.

"What is it?"

"What are you doing on the couch?"

"I was sleeping. Why?" Mulder said a bit sarcastically.

"Uncle Walt's not back yet. I figured you would be in bed since you'd have it all to yourself," Jake said, unaware of the situation.

Mulder looked up at Jake, his mouth gaping open in astonishment. "What do you mean Jake? Walter's not upstairs?"

"No. It's probably too early for him to be back."

Mulder jumped up from the couch and began to pace.

"What's wrong?" Jake asked, somewhat worried.

"I'm in so much trouble," Mulder admitted.

"What are you talking about?"

"Your uncle came home early from the seminar. He was already here when we came home this morning."

"Did he know when we came in?" Jake asked, swallowing.

"Yeah. He got up when he heard me down here," Mulder said as he continued to nervously pace.

"So, what happened? He didn't find out where we went, did he?"

Mulder didn't answer. He just gave him a sideways glance.

"Uncle Fox, you didn't tell him we went to New York, did you?" Jake asked, with ever increasing alarm in his voice.

Mulder finally stopped pacing and faced his equally nervous nephew.

"Jake, I had no choice. He asked me straight out where we had gone. What was I supposed to do?"

"Lie!" Jake screamed as he began to pace the room, running his hands through his head of dark curls.

"No, I wasn't going to lie to Walter. I've learned from past experience it only made things worse when he found out the truth-- which he always did."

Jake grabbed his hands across his face as he continued to pace. "I can't believe you told him! Now he's going to tell my mother and she's gonna' kill me!"

"How do you know he's going to tell your mother?" Mulder asked, trying with his voice to calm him.

"They’re always talking and telling each other things. He's bound to tell her about it. Plus the fact he's probably really pissed about us going and wants to punish me himself."

Mulder thought about it and knew Skinner was really pissed -- not so much at Jake as with him.

"Jake, there's no reason why Walter would want to punish you. It's me he's pissed at. I'm the one who took you to New York against his wishes.”

Jake's face took on a dawning of realization.

"You're right. He wouldn't be mad at me. I just did what you told me to do. It's you who's in trouble with the big guy," Jake said with a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thanks for telling me," Mulder smirked. "And what's this about you just did what I told you to do? You practically begged me to take you to New York. And let's not forget against your mother's wishes."

"Well, Uncle Walt doesn't have to know anything about that."

"Oh really? Since you're so quick to not take any blame for tonight, maybe it will come up when I talk to Walter," Mulder threatened.

Jake's eyes grew wide.

"You wouldn't."

"Why wouldn't I? I'm not gonna be the one to take all the heat. You weren't completely innocent in this."

"What do you want me to do?" Jake asked with an attitude.

"I want you to tell Walter the truth. I want you to tell him how you manipulated me into taking you."

"What are you talking about? I didn't manipulate you. I just wanted you to take me. You didn't have to."

"Yeah right! You say that now!" Mulder spat.

"Anyway, if I tell Uncle Walt the truth, I'm the one who's gonna' be punished when he tells my Mom. You just won't get any nooky for a while..." Jake jumped back when he saw his uncle standing in the doorway. Mulder glanced over at the door and felt his heart skip a beat.

"Walter!" Mulder exclaimed, taking a few steps towards his lover.

Skinner stood in the doorway for a moment, looking from Jake to Mulder. Then he stepped inside and closed the door with his foot. Apparently neither Mulder nor Jake heard him come in because of their arguing. Skinner shifted the bag of groceries he was carrying then walked to the kitchen without giving them another glance. Jake and Mulder looked at each other, their mouths open. They both had fear in their eyes.

"How long do you think he was standing there?" Jake asked, swallowing hard.

"I have no idea," Mulder answered, raking his hand through his hair.

"Do you think he heard what we said?"

"I don't know, Jake," Mulder said, annoyed by the questions.

Jake glanced in the direction of the kitchen then back at Mulder, who was now seated on the couch. He had his elbows on his knees and was clutching his head.

"What are we going to do?"

Mulder looked up at the terrified young man, then sighed loudly.

"We have to talk to him. We have to explain," Mulder admitted. He rose and walked towards the kitchen. Jake watched with his mouth gapping as Mulder disappeared from view.

When Mulder got to the entrance of the kitchen, he saw Skinner putting away his groceries. He didn't seem to noticed he was being watched. When Skinner turned away from the cabinet, he stopped short when he saw his lover. They both exchanged a quick glance before Skinner turned away and continued to tend to his groceries. Mulder stepped inside the kitchen and leaned against the counter.

"I see ya bought some groceries. Didn’t forget my Pop Tarts, did ya?" Mulder asked grinning, trying to lighten the mood. Skinner took out the box of Pop Tarts and slammed them on the kitchen table. Mulder was startled from the sound.

"Walter, please-- talk to me," Mulder implored.

Skinner glared at him then threw the empty bags on the counter. As he exited the kitchen, he pushed Mulder out of the way. Mulder turned quickly to follow him.

"Walter! We have to talk about this! Please!

Skinner suddenly stopped and turned around. Mulder stopped dead in his tracks, backing up a little. Jake jumped up from the couch when he saw them. Skinner continued to glare at his frightened lover then he slowly moved to the couch and sat down. Jake quickly moved out of his way and went to stand next to Mulder. Skinner sat scowling at them, not saying a word. Mulder took this to mean he was waiting for them to speak.

Mulder cleared his throat then swallowed. He glanced at Jake, who was apparently trembling.

"Walter, I know you told me not to take Jake to New York, but...but..." 

Jake looked at Mulder and saw that he was floundering miserably, so he decided to step in.

"But I really wanted to go, Uncle Walt. Uncle Fox just wanted to make me happy," Jake admitted as Mulder looked at him wide eyed.

"Yeah, he wanted to go but I was the one in charge. I didn't have take him," Mulder said, moving closer to Skinner.

"Yeah, but I didn't give him a choice. I begged him to take me," Jake admitted, stepping closer to Skinner than Mulder.

"Walter, it doesn't matter how much he begged. I shouldn't have given in!" Mulder shouted.

"But I didn't make it easy for him! And on top of that I was being a conniving SOB!" Jake shouted in response.

Skinner was looking from one to the other like he was at a tennis tournament. He listened as they both spoke up for each other. The way they were trying to convince him the other was at fault was endearing -- almost comical. The more they spoke the louder and more agitated they were getting. Now they were screaming at him -- this had to stop.

"Enough!" Skinner shouted. 

Both stopped immediately and looked at him in shock. Skinner rose from the couch and stood with his arms folded across his massive chest. He looked from the young man to the older man, then spoke.

"It seems the both of you are trying to speak in defense of the other. You each feel it was your fault. Since that is the case, I'd like to hear from you both -- one at a time -- starting with you, Fox." Skinner went to sit back on the couch and waited for his lover to begin. "I want the whole story and I want the truth," Skinner added.

Mulder licked his lips nervously, then swallowed hard.

"Well, Walter...after you said you didn't want us to go to New York, Jake and I had a...um...discussion about it," Mulder admitted glancing at Jake. "He felt since you left me in charge it would be okay for us to go to New York and I...um...agreed with him," Mulder said, hanging his head.

"Is that all?" Skinner asked.

Mulder shrugged. "I guess so."

Skinner looked over at his nephew.

"Now you," Skinner growled.

Jake glanced at Mulder, then began.

"Uncle Walt, Uncle Fox didn't want to go. I convinced him we could go if we got back before...you got back," Jake said, lowering his head. "You would never had to know we went."

Skinner narrowed his eyes at his nephew.

"Is that all you have to say?"

"Yeah...I mean -- yes Sir," Jake corrected.

"I remember you saying something before -- if you tell me the truth, your mother is going to punish you. What did you mean by that?" Skinner asked.

Jake threw a worried expression in Mulder's direction. All Mulder could do was to throw back a forlorn one. When Jake glanced back at his uncle, Skinner was sitting on the edge of the couch waiting for an answer.

"My Mom didn't want me to go to New York. I figured if you ever found out, you would tell her and I would get in big trouble."

Skinner looked at Mulder.

"And you knew his mother didn't want him to go to New York and you still took him?"

Mulder was opening his mouth to answer but Jake beat him to it.

"No, Uncle Fox didn't know. I told him after we got there. He was really angry at me about it."

Skinner hung his head in deep thought.

"Jake, I want to have a few words with your Uncle Fox. Please go upstairs to your bedroom and wait until you're called," Skinner ordered without looking at Jake. Jake turned and headed upstairs, looking back fretfully at Mulder just before he moved out of sight.

Once he knew Jake was out of earshot, Skinner got up from the couch and walked over to the window, peering out.

"Do you know how disappointed I am in you?"

Mulder looked at the back of his lover's head with tears in his eyes. He lowered his head, saying nothing. Skinner turned quickly from the window, towards Mulder.

"DO YOU?!" Skinner yelled.

Mulder jumped from the sudden change in Skinner's tone.

"Y-yes, I know, Walter. I'm so s..."

"I don't want to hear how sorry you are because it doesn't mean anything! It's just a word you say when you've been caught doing something stupid! And this was really stupid, Fox! What were you thinking? Were you thinking at all, taking my nephew to New York on New Year's Eve?!"

"Walter, it wasn't that bad. Things went fine. I didn't think anything would have happened, that's why I thought it was okay to take him," Mulder admitted.

"Even though I told you not to," Skinner hissed.

"I didn't think you were being fair. I didn't think it was right for you not to trust me to take Jake. I wanted to show you I could be trusted with your nephew, that I could take care of him," Mulder said, sounding a bit wounded.

"What if something had happened while you were there with him?"

"But nothing happened!" Mulder implored.

"No, thank God, but it could have. And this isn't even the point. Fox, I told you explicitly not to take him and you went right ahead and did it anyway. It wasn't about me not trusting you to take him. I knew his mother wouldn't like it. I felt that I needed to get her approval before I took her son there. I had a reason for not allowing you to take him and it had nothing to do with you."

Mulder stood for a moment, looking at his lover. Then he lowered his eyes.

"I'm really sss..." Mulder stopped himself before the word came out. "Walter, I don't know what else to say. I am sorry. I shouldn't have taken him, I know it now and I knew it then."

"Then why Fox? Why did you have to do it? Was it just to spite me?" Skinner asked, pain in his voice.

"No, Walter, it wasn't to spite you. I just wanted to prove to you I could do it, that you could trust me to do it."

"Well, I don't think you'll have to wonder whether or not I'll be able to trust you because after this stunt, I don't think I'll ever trust you again. You've shown me you can't be trusted. You couldn't even carry out a single request in my absence. Instead you try to deceive me as soon as my back is turned," Skinner admitted angrily.

Skinner's words hit Mulder as if they were sharp daggers being hurled straight into his gut. Everything he was saying was true. Mulder proved he could not be trusted and he was capable of deceiving him when he thought he could get away with it. There was nothing Mulder could say. He just stood there in silence. All he wanted to say was he was sorry -- he was so sorry this happened. Even though he definitely meant it with all his heart and soul, he knew Skinner would perceive it as a meaningless word, used when he did something stupid. Mulder knew it would take a lot more than words to fix this situation with his lover.

"Walter...I..." Mulder whispered. He didn't know what else to say but he wanted to say something. He had to say something. He had to fix this. Mulder glanced at his lover, trying to convey what he was feeling through his moist hazel eyes.

Skinner sighed aloud, shaking his head. 

"Later. Go up and get Jake," Skinner ordered.

Mulder quickly wiped away the tears streaming down his face then slowly ascended the stairs to get his partner in crime. Skinner ran his hand across his scalp then went to sit on the couch. Soon afterwards, Jake and Mulder came down the stairs.

"Do you want me to stay?" Mulder asked.

"Yeah. Sit over there and keep quiet," Skinner ordered pointing towards the recliner. He looked up at Jake, who was standing with his head down.

"Jake, why was it so important for you to go to New York? Was it because you knew your mother didn't want you to?"

Jake looked at his uncle through his lashes.

"I just always wanted to go. I knew my Mom would never take me so I asked you and Uncle Fox to do it. I figured if she never found out, everything would be all right," Jake shrugged.

"Well, you know that was very deceptive of you. You used us to get what you wanted knowing your mother wouldn't like it."

"Yeah, Uncle Fox pointed that out to me," Jake said, glancing at Mulder.

"Jake, you know deception is a punishable offense. You not only deceived Fox, but you deceived your mother and me. Do you understand that?" Skinner asked in a dangerously calm tone.

Jake nodded, not looking at his uncle.

"Answer me, Jake," Skinner ordered sternly.

"Yes, Sir. I understand," he said, glancing at Skinner.

Skinner glanced at Mulder.

“I'm well aware this was mostly the fault of your Uncle Fox. He shouldn't have allowed you to convince him to take you. He should have known better but you also shouldn't have been so eager to mislead us."

"Are you going to tell my mother?" Jake asked timidly.

"I haven't decided yet. I may choose to take care of this myself."

Mulder's head jerked up at that remark. He looked somewhat alarmed. Skinner noticed Mulder's look and just smirked as he continued to talk to his nephew.

"Jake, what would your mother do if I told her what you did?"

Jake looked over at Mulder, knowing he knew the answer to that question.

"She would...um...punish me," he said, simply.

"What would she do?"

"She'd...spank me." Jake felt himself flush as he divulged this fact. Skinner already knew his sister used corporal punishment on her children. He also knew Lori didn't fool around when it came to punishing her kids. When she punished them they were punished well. Lori told Skinner about an incident when she spanked Jake in a restaurant restroom. Skinner could almost feel his butt burning just from her description of what she did to him.

"Would you rather I tell your mother or would you prefer I took care of things?" Skinner asked.

Mulder was sitting in the recliner shaking his head vehemently. When Skinner glanced at him to see what Jake was looking at, Mulder stopped immediately and looked as innocent as he could. Skinner frowned then looked back at Jake.

"Well, Jake?"

"Would that mean you wouldn't tell my mom?"

"I can't promise that but I will tell her you've already been punished."

Jake swallowed nervously.

"H-how are you going to punish me?"

"That's for me to decide. So-- what's your decision? Me or your mom?"

Jake weighed the situation carefully. He really didn't want his mother to get a hold of him. Maybe Uncle Walt wouldn't be so hard on him. Maybe he didn't even believe in spanking or whipping. Maybe he believed in sending kids to their rooms without supper or not have them watch TV. He could do that easily. I mean, this was his first visit. How could his Uncle Walt do anything that bad to him? No, Jake decided it would be way better to have his uncle punish him.

"You," Jake said softly.

Skinner nodded then glanced over at Mulder who was pretending to not be paying attention.

"That's settled," Skinner said, then disappeared up the stairs and out of sight.

Jake and Mulder stood staring up at the staircase. Jake looked at Mulder.

"Where's he going?" Jake asked wide eyed.

Mulder knew Skinner kept his implement case in the desk in the study. He wondered if that was what he was going to get. Was he really going to spank Jake? Mulder was sure he would be punished that way-- and how-- but Jake? Mulder glanced over at his nervous nephew. He didn't want to lie to him so he just told him the truth.

"I don't know, Jake."

"When he said he was going to punish me, what did he mean?"

Mulder sighed, shaking his head. 

"Jake, I really don't know." And Mulder really didn't. He didn't want to frighten the boy by saying he probably was going to spank him-- because maybe Skinner wasn't going to-- although Mulder knew that was highly unlikely.

Finally, Skinner came back down the stairs. Mulder noticed he was empty handed. What did he go upstairs for then, Mulder wondered. When he got to the bottom step, he stood there for a moment glaring at them, then continued into the living room.

"I want the two of you to sit down on the couch," Skinner ordered. Jake and Mulder obeyed. Skinner began to pace in front of them as he spoke.

"You both agree what you did last night was wrong. Is that correct?"

"Yes, Sir," they said in unison. Jake thought it was weird for Mulder to be calling his lover 'Sir'...

"And you both agree you deserve to be punished. Is that correct?" Skinner asked, continuing to pace. 

Jake gave his uncle a strange look then stared at Mulder in astonishment. Mulder was about to answer his lover when he noticed Jake's wide eyed stare.

"What?" Mulder asked.

"Uncle Walt-- punishes you?"

Mulder's mouth dropped open then he looked up at Skinner for help in answering the question. Skinner averted his gaze. Mulder looked back at Jake.

"Jake, I don't think we have time for this right now," Mulder admitted, glancing at Skinner for acknowledgment.

"Oh, I think we do," Skinner said, going to sit in the recliner to get comfortable. "Go right ahead, Fox," he said with a wave of his hand and a smug look on his face.

Mulder narrowed his eyes at his lover. He knew this was part of his punishment. He bit on his lip as he rose from the couch. Jake was watching him, waiting eagerly for him to begin, his forthcoming punishment all but forgotten in the moment of this new discovery. Mulder turned away from them both as he tried to think of a way to explain his unique relationship to a 15 year old boy.

"Jake, your Uncle Walt and I have a different kind of relationship. Ya see, before we were together, he was my..."

"Boss. I know that," Jake said.

"Okay… Well, I used to get in trouble a lot, used to risk my life foolishly and ditch my partner."

"I know all about that, too. Uncle Walt would tell my mom and sometimes I would overhear stuff," Jake said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Mulder frowned at Skinner then decided to continue once he saw the look on his face.

"Anyway, once we got into a relationship, Walter wanted me to stop risking my life and getting into trouble."

"So he started punishing you to make you stop. What would he do to you, not give you any?" Jake said, chuckling. Mulder and Skinner shot him a look. "Sorry," he said, hanging his head.

Mulder felt himself flush as he continued. "As you know, Walter was a Marine and Marines believe in corporal punishment. That's what we agreed he'd use."

"Corporal punishment is when someone beats you," Jake said adamantly.

"No, Jake," Skinner intervened. "It doesn't mean beating anyone. It means to inflict physical punishment directly on the body. I don't beat Fox."

Jake thought about what he was just told. He was trying to make sense out of it.

"Wow, I didn't know that could happen in an adult relationship."

"Well, it only happens in very special relationships," Mulder said, gazing over at his lover. "Walter loves me very much -- or at least he did before last night. He doesn't want me to do anything where I could get hurt, or worse."

"So what you're telling me is Uncle Walt spanks you," Jake said, trying hard not to snicker.

Sometimes he spanks, sometimes he whips and sometimes he canes. It all depends on what I did and how mad he is at me," Mulder admitted.

"Man, he canes you...like that kid in Singapore?!" Jake exclaimed.

"Yeah but I don't think as bad."

Jake lowered his head as he contemplated what Mulder said. This wasn't good news at all. Now he knew his uncle used corporal punishment, just like his Mom. What was going to stop him from using it on him? He was beginning to think he should have chosen his mother to punish him. Jake swallowed hard then glanced over at his uncle.

"Um...Uncle Walt? You only do that with Uncle Fox, right?" 

"Jake, are you asking me whether or not I would spank you?"

Jake nodded with fear in his eyes.

"Well, Jake, that depends. Do you think you deserve a spanking?"

Jake's eyes grew wider. He shot a look at Mulder, who averted his gaze.

"Um...I don't think so," Jake replied meekly.

Skinner got up from the recliner and sat down next to Jake, causing him to quickly move further down the couch.

"You don't think so?"

Jake shook his head.

"Then what kind of punishment do you think you deserve?" Skinner asked with a glare.

Jake shrugged. "I don't know."

"Of course you know, Jake. What kind of punishment do you think you deserve for deceiving Fox, wanting to lie to me and cover up what you did and disobeying your mother?"

Jake looked at his uncle as if to say, 'I did all that?' He took a moment to think about the question.

"I think I should be sent to bed without anything to eat," Jake said proudly.

"Oh, you do, do you?" Skinner asked, glancing at the clock. "It's now 2:33 PM. I think it's a little early to be sent to bed, don't you?"

Jake didn't realize how early it was. The punishment he suggested wouldn't work at all, so he thought of something else.

"What about no TV for the rest of the time I'm here?" Jake asked, just knowing that would be a good punishment.

Skinner scowled at Jake then got up from the couch and paced. Jake looked worriedly at Mulder, who knew that punishment wouldn't go over well with his lover.

"Well, I think your punishment is up to me to decide," Skinner said, coming back to stand in front to Jake. Then he glanced over at his extremely quiet lover, who was standing by the window with his head down.

"So, what am I going to do with you?" Skinner asked.

Mulder looked over at him and shrugged, lowering his head again. Skinner moved closer to him, folding his arms across his chest.

"Let's see -- what kind of punishment does someone deserve for deceiving someone who loves them, for causing that person to not want to trust them anymore, for doing something this person almost begged him not to do and for causing this person to doubt their relationship...for the first time?" Skinner finished his extraordinarily long question with tears in his eyes.

Skinner had two sets of wide eyes watching him. One set belonged to his nephew and the other belonged to his lover, who also had tears in his. Skinner's words hit him hard. He had no idea what he did was so serious. He just thought he was taking Jake to have a little fun, albeit against his uncle's wishes but it wouldn't be the first time he disobeyed Skinner. He didn't really understand why this time was so different.

Mulder turned to face Skinner.

"Walter...I didn't realize how much...that what I did...I'm so..." Mulder stopped and turned back to the window, placing his arm on the sill and resting his head on pane. Skinner just stood watching him for a moment, stone faced, then he turned back to Jake.

"Jake let's go upstairs," Skinner said as he began to climb the stairs. Jake stayed seated on the couch watching his uncle Fox, who was obviously sobbing at the window. Skinner stopped at the top of the stairs when he noticed Jake wasn't behind him.

"Jake, come on! Get up here now!" Skinner roared. Jake looked at Skinner and leapt to his feet and headed for the stairs. As he climbed the stairs, he continued to watch Mulder. He felt so sorry for him. He knew it was all his fault for making Mulder take him to New York. 

Once he got to the head of the stairs, he noticed Skinner standing in the doorway of the study, his arms akimbo, waiting for him. Jake quickly sped past him and into the room. He walked to the middle of the room and turned around. He watched his uncle close the door then face him. There was an uncomfortable silence in the room until Jake broke it.

"Uncle Fox is really upset," he said solemnly.

"Yeah, he is," Skinner said apathetically, walking towards his desk.

'It's all my fault. If I didn't make him take me to New York, none of this would have happened," Jake admitted with self hatred.

Skinner glanced at him before going into a desk drawer. Jake seemed to be oblivious to what he was doing. The young man was pacing as he continued to speak.

"I was only thinking about myself. I didn't care if Uncle Fox got in trouble for doing what I wanted him to do."

Skinner placed the case on the desk and was beginning to open it when Jake rushed over to the desk.

"Uncle Walt, remember when I told you I didn't deserve to be spanked?" 

Skinner nodded, keeping the case closed. 

"Well, I was wrong. For what I did to Fox and you and my mother, I deserve a...spanking," Jake said, the last word spoken softly. He couldn't believe what he was saying. For the first time he noticed Skinner had placed a wooden case on the desk and was about to open it.

"What's that?"

Skinner was slightly in shock at his nephew's sudden revelation. He looked down at the case, like he had forgotten he’d taken it out.

"This? Oh, it's an implement case."

"What's an implement case?" 

Skinner opened it, revealing what was inside. Jake stared in awe at the various ‘enemies of the bare bottom.’ There were two paddles; one wooden and one leather, a leather strap, a leather cat-o-nine tails and a collapsible tawse cane. Jake's mouth hung open as he looked from the case to his uncle's face.

"Are those for..."

"Corporal punishment? Yes," Skinner finished.

Jake swallowed hard. "You gonna' use one of those on me?"

"Well, when I came back downstairs, I was only going to use my bare hand but after thinking about it, I think one of these would be better," Skinner said, picking up one after the other for inspection.

Jake started to slowly move back towards the door.

"Um...Uncle Walt, I think I made a big mistake. I should never had chosen you to punish me. After all, I'm just a visitor. You shouldn't be bothered with stuff like this. My mother would do just fine punishing me," Jake said, backing up against the door.

"Nonsense, Jake. It's no bother at all. The only mistake you made, young man, was getting Fox to take you to New York in the first place. I'm sure when your mother finds out, you'll be punished by her, too. Now-- get over here and get those pajama bottoms down," Skinner ordered, patting the wooden paddle against his palm.

Jake gave Skinner a wide eyed terrified stare. 

"Uncle Walt, you aren't gonna' paddle me with my pants down, are you?"

"No," Skinner said, to Jeff's relief. "I'm gonna' paddle you with your pants *and* underwear down. Now, let's go! Over the desk!"

Skinner didn't think Jake's eyes could get any bigger. When he saw the young man was in some kind of petrified trance, Skinner went over and grabbed the boy by the arm, dragging him over to the desk.

"Are you going to take your pants down or do I have to do it for you?" When Jake just stood there, Skinner made a move and Jake jumped.

"I'll do it, I'll do it!" Jake shouted as he pushed his PJ's down to his ankles then looked up at his uncle.

"What are you waiting for? I told you to pull down the underwear, too."

Jake just stood there so Skinner reached out and jerked down the boy's boxers.

"Christ Uncle Walt!" Jake yelled, putting his hands in front of his genitals.

"I told you I would do it for you if you didn't. Now -- get across the desk. I advise you to not make me tell you twice," Skinner threatened.

Jake turned, clutching his genitals and laid his torso on top of the desk.

"Grab hold of the edge of the desk. Believe me, you're going to need to," Skinner said, moving behind his nephew with paddle held firmly in hand. Jake removed his hands from his groin area and placed them on the sides of the desk. He laid his forehead against the surface and shut his eyes tight in anticipation.

Skinner pushed his T-shirt up his back and out of the way.

"Now I want you to tell me why I'm getting ready to paddle your naked butt."

Jake let out a breath before he spoke.

"Because I deceived you and Uncle Fox… And I..."

"No,” Skinner corrected, slapping the paddle loudly against his palm. “I want you to tell me exactly what you did." 

Jake swallowed again. It was so hard to concentrate while laying across a desk with your naked butt exposed for punishment…

"I misled Fox and got him to take me to New York knowing my mom wouldn't like it."

"Yeah, go on."

"I wanted to deceive you about us going and try to keep it from you."

"And..."

Jake thought about it. He couldn't think of anything else. Skinner just waited. Jake finally thought of something.

"Oh-- I made Fox disobey you causing him to get in trouble, too."

"Okay. This is what happens when you don't do the right thing," Skinner said, raising the paddle high in the air. He brought it down hard on the unprotected buttock of his nephew. Jake immediately cried out. His right cheek was stinging horribly. His mother never hit him this hard. He didn't think he could take another one when suddenly another one came crashing down on his left cheek.

"Owww!!!! Uncle Walt! Please, no more!" Jake yelled, reaching back to cover his burning ass with his hands.

"Jake, I'm not even close to being done with you. Move your hands before they get smacked."

"Uncle Walt, please! I promise I won't ever do it again! I promise!" Jake pleaded. 

Skinner thought his sister must have a light touch if he's this way from only two smacks of the paddle. Skinner considered smacking his hand just to teach him but instead he grabbed his hands and placed them at the small of his back. He held them firmly then began to paddle Jake's butt in earnest. Jake kicked his legs frantically, his feet missing Skinner's crotch by a fraction. Skinner had to place a strong leg behind Jake's to keep himself from being permanently injured. The paddle's loud cracking sound, along with Jake's screaming traveled through the closed door, down the stairs and right to Mulder's ears.

Mulder was sitting on the couch now. He wiped away his tears and was now listening to Jake being punished thoroughly by his lover. He knew that Jake deserved it but he still couldn't help feeling sorry for the kid. It sounded like Skinner was using the paddle on him. He knew how the paddle felt. He couldn't tell if he was using the wooden one or the leather one. He hoped it was the leather one -- the wooden one stung like hell -- but from the way Jake was screaming, it must’ve be the wooden one. Jake's crying and pleading was beginning to be too much for Mulder to take. He didn't know how Skinner was taking it. He wanted to go for a run, anything to get him out of the house-- but he knew he had to be there when this was over. He decided to drown it out by putting on stereo headphones and listening to a CD. He laid on the floor and turned up the volume until he couldn't hear Jake's cries anymore.

Skinner watched as both of Jake's cheeks turned a deep shade of red. The boy was crying hard now and Skinner knew he had had enough. He stopped and put the paddle on the desk, letting go of Jake's hands. Jake continued to cry as he put his hands on his hot buns and began to rub out the awful sting. Skinner stood watching until Jake began to get up from the desk. So the boy wouldn't be anymore embarrassed than he already was, Skinner turned and walked into the bathroom.

Jake pushed himself up and quickly noticed he was -- thankfully -- alone in the room. He gingerly pulled up his underwear and PJ's. Then he wiped his eyes and nose with his hand and forearm. When Skinner came back in the room, Jake was turned away, sniffling. Skinner had a wet washcloth with him. He handed it to his nephew. Jake refused it at first but with Skinner's persistence, he finally took it and wiped his face.

"Thanks," Jake sniffled, handing back the cloth.

"It's okay. How ya doin'?" Skinner asked with concern.

Jake still avoided eye contact with his uncle.

"I'm fine," he said, looking at his bare feet.

Skinner knew Jake wasn't telling the truth. He was just putting up false bravado in the wake of his humiliation.

"Jake, I want you to understand I spanked you because I care about you and don't want you to do what you did ever again. Do you understand that?"

Jake nodded, looking at the floor. Skinner stepped in front of his nephew and grabbed his shoulders.

"Jake, please look at me." Jake looked away and Skinner gently nudged the side of his face with a finger. "Jake, look at me. Please."

Finally Jake looked into his uncle's eyes and immediately began to sob.

"I'm sorry Uncle Walt! I'm so sorry for causing you and Uncle Fox so much trouble!" Jake wept.

Skinner pulled Jake into a tight embrace and cradled the sobbing teenager, trying to calm him.

"Shhh, shhh! It's okay, Jake. Everything's okay now," Skinner whispered, caressing his nephew's head and rubbing his back. Slowly, Jake began to calm down as his sobs turned into sniffling. He moved out of Skinner's embrace, backing up. Skinner grabbed a tissue from the box in his desk drawer and gave it to Jake to blow his nose. He picked up the damp washcloth and handed it back to Jake. Jake wiped his face again and placed the cloth back on the desk. Then he shoved his hands deep into his pockets.

"Can I go now?" Jake asked, glancing briefly at his uncle.

"Sure you can, Jake-- but I need to know that you're okay first."

Jake looked his uncle directly in the eye, then smiled.

"Yeah, I'm okay, Uncle Walt."

Skinner squeezed the back of Jake's neck and smiled back, letting him go. Jake opened the door and went straight to his bedroom, shutting the door behind him. After replacing the paddle in the case, Skinner walked out of study and headed for the staircase. He stopped at the top and looked down, searching for his lover. When he began to move down the steps, he spotted him lying on the floor listening to music. Skinner scowled at the sight and continued into the living room. He stood at Mulder's head but the younger man still didn't noticed his presence. Skinner reached over and shut off the CD player. As soon as he did that, Mulder's eyes popped open and he was staring straight up into his lover's glaring ones. He sat up, pulling off the head phones.

"Walter! I was just trying to drown out Jake," Mulder said, getting to his feet. "Sounded like you really gave it to him. Is he all right?"

"A little sore but he's fine," Skinner answered, walking away. Mulder followed behind him but at a safe distance.

"So, I guess it's my turn, huh?" Mulder asked, feeling the knot in his stomach growing bigger by the second.

"What are you talking about?" Skinner asked as he began to straighten up the living room.

"What do you mean, what am I talking about?” Mulder asked, getting upset at Skinner's apparent lack of interest.

"You heard me," Skinner said, continuing to move around the room with Mulder following him.

"Walter, I deserve to be punished. You know that."

Skinner stopped and glanced back at his irate lover.

"I don't know anything of the kind. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have breakfast to prepare." Skinner turned to leave the living room but Mulder jumped in his way.

"No! I won't excuse you! Walter, you know I deserve to be punished for what I did," Mulder stated. Skinner tried to move around him, but Mulder kept maneuvering himself in his way.

"Fox, move or I will move you!" Skinner yelled, infuriated.

"Then move me!" Mulder yelled back, standing chest to chest with his broad lover.

Skinner had had enough of this. He grabbed Mulder by the shoulders and shoved him aside. Mulder landed on the couch. Before Skinner was able to make it out of the living room, Mulder was up and at him again. He grabbed Skinner around the neck and the two men began to wrestle around the room.

"Fox, get off of me!" Skinner screamed.

"No! I need you to punish me for what I did!" Mulder yelled as Skinner twisted around and now had Mulder in a head lock. Just then, Jake appeared at the top of the stairs, watching the encounter in shock.

"Uncle Walt! Uncle Fox!" he yelled.

Skinner glanced up at him.

"Jake, get back in the bedroom!"

"But..."

"GET BACK IN THE BED ROOM -- NOW!" Skinner bellowed.

Jake immediately turned and went back inside, slamming the door.

Mulder continued to fight against Skinner's hold on him.

"Fox, stop this now! I don't want to hurt you!" Skinner said through gritted teeth.

Finally, Mulder gave up, exhausted. When Skinner realized it, he let him go. Mulder pulled away, out of breath and angry. He turned and watched Skinner lean against the couch, breathing hard. Mulder realized what a stupid thing he’d done. All he wanted to do was stop Skinner from walking out the living room before he gave him what he deserved. His anger turned to remorse.

"Walter, I'm sorry but I didn't want you to leave without punishing me."

Skinner leaned up from the couch and moved towards Mulder.

"And what exactly am I supposed to punish you for?"

"Walter, you know what for."

"Yeah, I know and I choose not to," Skinner said, attempting to leave the living room again and failing.

Mulder stood in front of him.

"Why do you choose not to? This isn't any different than any other time I've disobeyed you."

"That's where you're wrong. This is very different than other times."

"What makes this so different?" Mulder asked, clueless.

Skinner looked at him for a moment.

"You really have no idea, do you?"

"No, I don't. Please tell me," Mulder beseeched.

Skinner sighed aloud.

"Fox, sit down on the couch." Mulder obeyed and Skinner joined him, then continued. 

"Fox, when I told you not to take my nephew to New York, I wanted to be able to trust you. I wanted to be able to leave him with you and know he'd be safe."

"But..." Mulder began but Skinner stopped him.

"No buts, Fox. Sit and listen to me just this once." 

Mulder swallowed and nodded.

"I knew he would be safe with you but I also wanted to know I could trust you to do as I said. This had nothing to do with you not obeying me. This was about my nephew. This was about me trusting my lover to take care of him the way I wanted him to. I know I left him in your care but you should have respected me and my wishes enough to follow the directions I left for you. It had nothing to do with not trusting you. It was about needing to know I could trust you to follow orders when it involved someone I'm responsible for. Do you understand, Fox?"

"I think so," Mulder said, with tears in his eyes. "But I don't understand why you don't think I deserve to be punished for what I've done."

"Fox, I don't know if I can explain this to you but I'll try. You see, what you did is beyond mere punishment. There is no punishment that could fix this. You showed me I can't trust you when it really counts. Punishing you wouldn't do anything but make you sore and get me really tired," Skinner said as he got up from the couch.

"Then what would fix this?" Mulder asked, grabbing hold of Skinner's wrist and looking up at him pleadingly. 

Skinner thought about it for a moment then looked down at his penitent lover.

"I honestly don't know Fox," Skinner admitted with tears in his eyes.

"Come on, Walter. There must be something I can do to make this up to you. I know you think my *sorry's* are all horse shit but I want to fix this. I need to fix this. I need you to know you can trust me to obey you. Please, Walter," Mulder implored. 

After watching him for a while and seeing he was sincere, Skinner wished he had a way for Mulder to fix this but he didn't. It would take time for things to be right between them again. 

"Fox, I'm sorry. It's going to take time for me to trust you again. You're going to have to prove yourself to me. Right now there isn't anything you could do to fix this."

Mulder let Skinner's hand drop from his then watched him walk away.

"Walter, there is something I can do right now to begin to fix this." 

Skinner stopped and looked back as Mulder rose from the couch and walked over to him. Mulder grabbed his hand.

"You could punish me. Walter, I did something very wrong. I made you not trust me anymore. You said I made you question our relationship. I couldn't bare to not receive punishment for that. I know you think it wouldn't do any good but I know it would. I won't be able to live with myself if you don't take care of me the way you always have. If you don't punish me for this, it will seem as though..." Mulder was finding it very difficult to continue. After a moment, he took a deep breath and tried again.

"It would seem as though you didn't care about me anymore," Mulder admitted with his lower lip trembling.

Skinner raised his hand and gently caressed his lover's face, wiping away the falling tears.

"Fox, you know I care about you. I love you. What you did made me very disappointed in you but I will never stop caring about you," Skinner said sincerely.

Mulder looked into Skinner's eyes.

"When you told me you didn't want me to come to bed, I thought that meant you didn't love me anymore."

"Fox, I was angry. At that moment, I didn't want to see you, much less have you lying next to me. I needed to be alone."

Mulder nodded, understanding his lover's actions.

"I understand but I need to know you still care about me. I need to know you care enough to discipline me for something I did wrong. I need to know at least this hasn't changed between us. I need this, Walter. I need this from you." Mulder's eyes were pleading. 

Skinner saw the sincerity and pain in Mulder's eyes. He knew Mulder needed to *feel* he was being forgiven. He needed to feel the pain of discipline, to feel better about what he had done and know their relationship wasn't totally destroyed. Skinner could have declined to punish him and let that be part of his punishment but he knew he couldn't do that with Mulder. It would be too much for him. He wouldn't be able to handle what he would assume was proof Skinner didn't care or love him anymore.

"Get over by the wall," Skinner ordered.

Mulder nodded and moved to the wall, facing it with his head down. Skinner slowly followed behind him, waiting a moment before he gave his next order.

 

Continued in Chapter Five


	5. A Lover's Consequence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulder faces the consequence of his actions, but is interrupted unexpectedly.

Skinner stood behind Mulder as he moved near the wall.

"Wait there, I'll be right back," Skinner said, as he turned and ran up the stairs.

Mulder watched as he disappeared into their bedroom. With a heavy sigh, he realized that his lover obviously was retrieving one of his implements of discipline. God only knows which one he'll choose. Within seconds, Skinner came back down the stairs-- implement in hand. Mulder saw that it was the whip or cat of nine tails.

**Shit!**

"Get those pajama bottoms down then place your palms flat against the wall," Skinner ordered, as he went to stand behind Mulder.

Mulder pushed down his PJ's, letting them drop to his feet. Since he wasn't wearing any underwear, his butt was immediately naked and ready for punishment. Only his T-shirt gave him some modesty. He placed his hands on the wall in front of him and took in a deep breath to prepare himself. 

"Lift up your T-shirt," Skinner ordered and Mulder raised his shirt, pulling his arms from it and letting it hang down around his neck, then he replaced his hands against the wall and waited for Skinner to begin.

"Stick your ass out." 

Mulder did as he was told, spreading his legs a little.

"Don't spread your legs too wide. I don't want to get your balls." 

Mulder brought his legs closer together. 

"Okay. You already know what I'm about to whip you for, don't you?" Skinner asked, placing his hand on Mulder's back.

Mulder nodded, releasing a shivering breath. Skinner raised the whip in the air and brought it down on Mulder's bare behind. It felt like pure fire had struck him. Mulder grunted and threw his head back. Skinner allowed him to catch his breath before bringing the whip down again. This time it lashed the sensitive skin on the backs of his thighs. Mulder shrieked and his knees buckled. Skinner waited until he was standing straight again before giving him another burning lash. This time it went across both buttocks. Mulder's eyes were shut tight, his teeth clenched in agony.

With a few more strokes, Skinner settled into a rhythm. The whip alternated between Mulder's ass and the backs of his thighs. Mulder wasn't trying to hold it in. He was yelling and beginning to plead with Skinner that he’d had enough. Of course Skinner wouldn't let up-- Mulder asked for this and he was going to get it. As Skinner continued to whip his lover, he had no idea they were being watched.

Jake had snuck out of his bedroom and was watching wide-eyed from the staircase railing, his body hidden by the wall leading to the bedrooms. He couldn't believe his eyes. His Uncle Walt was actually whipping his Uncle Fox's naked butt!

Mulder continued to writhe against the wall as lash after lash welted his flesh. Skinner suddenly sensed he was being watched. He stopped for a moment and immediately looked up towards the top of the stairs. He was right, Skinner saw a shaggy chestnut head dart back behind the wall.

"Come out here!" Skinner yelled. Mulder's head jerked up at the sound of Skinner's voice. Skinner waited, then called again.

"Don't make me come up there and get you!" Skinner yelled again as he gestured for Mulder not to move. He walked closer to the staircase. Mulder was breathing heavy as he looked over his shoulder trying to see whom Skinner was yelling at. He saw Jake crawl out from behind the wall, then stand up at the top of the stairs.

**Shit!**

"Get down here, boy!" Skinner roared.

Jake swallowed hard as he slowly descended the stairs. When he got to the bottom, Skinner grabbed him by the back of the neck and hauled him towards Mulder.

"You want to watch this? You want to watch me whipping your Uncle's butt?" Skinner asked, shaking his nephew.

"No!" Jake yelled.

"Don't lie to me, boy! If you didn't want to watch, why did I catch you up there watching?"

"I don't know Uncle Walt! I didn't mean to..."

"Well, I think you did mean to. So-- since you wanted to watch, you're going to watch. You're going to see what happens when you make the wrong decisions. You're going to see what happens when you do something that gets someone into trouble. Get over there and watch...watch your Uncle Fox get his butt whipped for something you manipulated him into doing for you!" Skinner growled, shoving Jake on the couch, then returning to Mulder.

Jake had tears streaming down his face as he watched his uncle begin to whip Mulder again. He saw the vicious red welts across his naked buttocks and thighs. Mulder was trying hard not to scream for Jake's sake but he was being whipped on top of his already sore flesh. It was impossible for him not to react to the pain. Jake squirmed uncomfortably on the couch. He held his face in his hands, not wanting to see the torture in front of him.

"Jake, I want you to watch this. If I find that you're not watching, I'm going to have to stop and start over until I see that you are," Skinner threatened. Mulder groaned out loud.

"Jake, please watch! Please," Mulder begged.

"Uncle Fox, I'm sorry I caused this to happen to you! I'm so sorry!" Jake sobbed miserably.

"It's okay, Jake. Just keep watching-- please!" Mulder implored as he readied himself for the next lash. Skinner didn't disappoint. He continued the lashes to Mulder's cries of pain.

Jake was also crying and pleading for his uncle to stop. He promised he wouldn't do anything wrong ever again if he would just stop. Skinner continued to whip his lover, determined to teach Mulder and his nephew lessons they wouldn't soon forget, when suddenly his arm was grabbed from behind. When he looked back, he saw his nephew holding his arm preventing him from bringing the whip down on Mulder's battered behind.

"Stop it, Uncle Walt! Stop it!" Jake screamed, struggling to hold his uncle's arm still.

Mulder looked back and couldn't believe what he was seeing. His skinny teenaged nephew was rescuing him from his big muscular lover. Skinner could have easily wrenched his arm from his nephew's grasp but he decided not to. Instead he stopped. He stopped and dropped the whip on the floor. Soon after that Jake let go of his arm. For a while, everyone in the room was still and the only sound that could be heard was heavy breathing. Skinner turned away from his nephew and looked at his lover. Mulder had his hands and head leaning on the wall, with his pants around his ankles.

"Fox, pull your pants up. I'm done," Skinner said, his voice low. Mulder looked back and took his hands off the wall. He bent down to gingerly pull up his PJ's and put his arms back in his shirt, then he wiped his tear-stained face with the bottom. When he looked up, he noticed that Skinner was gone. He glanced at Jake.

"He went into the kitchen," Jake said, knowing what Mulder wanted to know. "Are you okay?" Jake added, walking to his uncle and resting a hand on his shoulder. 

Mulder nodded, wincing, " Yeah, I'm okay, Jake, but you shouldn't have stopped Walter," Mulder told him, as he held on to the back of a chair for support.

"I couldn't just sit there and watch him whip you like that. I mean-- you didn't deserve it," Jake admitted.

"You're wrong. I did deserve to be punished, Jake. Maybe Walter shouldn't have forced you to watch," Mulder realized.

"He didn't exactly force me. He caught me watching. I shouldn't have been watching, but when I heard you howling, I couldn't help it. I'm sorry, Uncle Fox," Jake said, hanging his head.

Mulder reached out and squeezed Jake's shoulder. "He probably should have taken me up to the bedroom, but what's done is done. It's okay. I understand. I also want to thank you for coming to my rescue. You're a brave young man," Mulder smiled, then turned and limped towards the kitchen.

When he arrived, he saw Skinner sitting at the table with his head in his hands. Mulder moved to stand near him.

"Walter-- you okay?" Mulder asked, touching the back of Skinner's head. Skinner looked up and Mulder noticed unshed tears in his eyes.

"No, I'm not okay, Fox. I've made a terrible mistake."

"What are you talking about Walter?"

"I really wanted Jake to like me and what do I do? I spank him then make him watch me whip you. He must think I'm a monster-- the worst person on earth," Skinner said, lowering his head again.

Mulder leaned on the table next to his lover, caressing his naked scalp.

"Walter, he's not going to think that. He knows why you did what you did. He knew he deserved to be punished and you were right to spank him. If anything, he will respect you that much more."

"But I had no right to force him to watch me whip you."

"Walter, you caught the boy watching you whip me. It upset you. That's all. You wanted to teach him a lesson."

Skinner lifted his head. "Yeah, it upset me and I took it out on you. I whipped you longer than I should have just to teach Jake a lesson. That was wrong of me, Fox." Skinner paused for a moment, then continued: "When we agreed to have me punish you, I promised I’d never lay a hand on you in anger."

"Walter, I know you didn't mean to. It's okay. I'm still in one piece," Mulder smiled.

Suddenly, Jake appeared in the doorway.

"What's wrong with Uncle Walt?" he asked, moving into the kitchen.

"Nothing's wrong with Uncle Walt," Skinner said, wiping at his eyes and putting on a slightly surly demeanor.

"Then why are you crying?" Jake asked, coming closer to look into his uncle's face and seeing the moist eyes.

"I'm not crying. It's allergies," Skinner admitted, trying to sound convincing.

Mulder chuckled out loud, then groaned as he leaned up from the table and moved to lean on the counter.

"Uncle Walt, are you crying because you had to punish me and Fox?" Jake asked, going to sit at the table-- then changing his mind after remembering his butt.

"That's only part of it. He regrets making you watch him whip me," Mulder offered.

Skinner glared at him. "If you don't mind, I can speak for myself."

Mulder waved his hand towards Jake.

After sighing, Skinner tried to explain. "Jake, I shouldn't have forced you to watch Fox get whipped. It was a real dick move on my part. I was angry with you for sneaking a peek at us and I took it out on Fox. I told him I would never punish him when I was angry and that’s exactly what I wound up doing."

"That was my fault, Uncle Walt. If I hadn't been up there watching, you would have never gotten angry. You shouldn't be upset with yourself, you should be upset with me."

"I should have taken Fox into the bedroom to punish him, not do it in the living room where you could easily see what was going on." Skinner shrugged. "I guess I forgot you were here and went about punishing Fox the way I usually do."

"That's understandable Uncle Walt."

"Jake, this was supposed to be a chance for us to get to know each other. A chance for you to meet Fox. The three of us were supposed to have a good time together. I've messed everything up by having to discipline the two of you," Skinner said, disappointed in himself.

"Walter, I've already told you-- you did what you were supposed to do. Jake and I disobeyed you then wanted to lie to you. You punished us like you should have," Mulder explained.

"Yeah, Uncle Walt," Jake added.

"I could have easily let your mother punish you and waited to punish Fox after you left."

"Uncle Walt, *you* were the one who was disobeyed and deceived, so *you* are the one who should have disciplined me. Besides, my mom will have a chance at my butt soon enough," Jake said, wincing at the thought.

"He's right, Walter. I don't think you should have waited until Jake left to punish me. Before you left for the conference, you threatened to spank me in front of Jake if I disobeyed you, so you were only doing what you said you were going to do-- a man of your word, as usual. 

"Besides," Mulder added, "I think it was a good thing Jake was here when you punished me. That way he would know you really do punish me for bad behavior."

Skinner looked up at his lover and shook his head. "You and that damn memory of yours. I had forgotten about that threat."

"Yeah but I didn't. Walter, please don't feel bad about what you had to do," Mulder said, coming up behind his lover and wrapping his arms around him.

"Yeah, Uncle Walt. You didn't mess anything up. Uncle Fox and I had a great time last night and I'm still here for a couple of more days before I have to go back. I'm sure we will all still have a chance to have some fun together."

Skinner smiled up at his nephew. "I hope so."

Jake walked over to the sink contemplatively then turned around.

"Wow, it actually made you upset to have to spank us. You really don't like doing it," Jake said, surprised.

Skinner looked over at his nephew. "Why would I like to do something like that? I don't want to ever hurt the people I love. I know it's for your own good but it's still hard."

"After my mom spanks me, she never seems upset about doing it. She just shoves me in the corner or into my room," Jake admitted.

"Well, I'll tell you something-- if you swear you'll never tell your mom I told you," Skinner said, getting up from the table to stand in front of Jake.

"I swear. What is it?"

"Your mom cries each and every time she has to discipline you."

"No way!" Jake exclaimed.

"It's true. She told me. She says she does it when you're not around so you won’t see her."

Jake was amazed at what he’d just heard. He never would have guessed his mother got upset when she spanked him.

"Wow, I had no idea," Jake said, shaking his head.

"I guess it's something in the Skinner family genes," Mulder chuckled.

"It means your mom loves and cares about you, Jake. She hates to do anything that would hurt you," Skinner said, glancing at his lover.

Mulder walked stiffly over to the refrigerator to get a beer.

"Fox, do you think that beer is a good idea? You haven't had anything to eat yet," Skinner warned.

"Oh yeah -- we haven't eaten," Mulder realized, putting the beer back.

"I've been hungry for about an hour now but I was afraid to come down to the kitchen," Jake admitted, sheepishly.

"Guys," Skinner said, getting up and walking over to his nephew, wrapping his arm around his neck. He gently pulled him over to his lover then wrapped his other arm around his neck and pulled them close to him, "I want to say I'm sorry I had to punish you both today. That's not the way I wanted to bring in the new year."

Mulder and Jake leaned into the big man and wrapped their arms around him. 

"And I want to say I'm sorry I caused you to punish me. There are so many other ways we could have spent the first day of the year," Mulder said, rubbing his forehead into his lover's shoulder. 

"And I'm sorry I made you have to punish me and Uncle Fox. I would have definitely preferred to do something less painful," Jake chuckled.

All three continued to embrace in silence for a few moments longer then Skinner released them and walked over to the phone.

"How about a pie? I'll let you two get anything you want on it," Skinner said, picking up the phone and punching in the number of the local pizzeria.

Mulder shouted, "Extra cheese!"

Then Jake shouted, "Sausage!"

Mulder looked at his nephew smiling. "That's the same pie we ordered when you first got here."

"I remember. That seems so long ago," Jake remarked.

"Yeah-- but it's only been a few days."

After placing the order, Skinner led the guys back into the living room.

"We can sit and watch the game until the pizza arrives," Skinner suggested, throwing himself on the couch and grabbing the remote.

Mulder and Jake stood looking at Skinner. When he noticed they weren't going to sit, he suddenly realized why.

"Oh-- guys, I'm sorry. I forgot about your...conditions." 

Mulder and Jake squirmed, somewhat embarrassed.

"I'm going to put some ointment on you?" Skinner asked, jumping up and going into the downstairs bathroom.

"Ointment?" Jake asked, frowning.

"Yeah, it's this great stuff Walter puts on me afterwards. It really stops the burning and feels so good."

"I'm not gonna' let him rub ointment on my naked butt," Jake said, looking indignant and rubbing his sore behind.

"Fine. Then you can put it on yourself," Mulder said as Skinner came back into the room with the ointment.

"Okay, who's first?"

"I guess it'll be me. Modesty boy here would rather put it on by himself," Mulder said, going to lie down on the couch.

"I really don't want to see your naked butt again, Uncle Fox. I'm going back up to my room. Call me when you’re done," Jake said, quickly climbing the stairs to his bedroom.

When he was out of sight, Skinner pulled down Mulder's PJ's. He grimaced at the red welts that were still very visible on Mulder's skin.

"Baby, I'm so sorry," Skinner whispered as he bent down and kissed all the welts on his lover's ass and thighs. Mulder moaned at the sensation.

"It's okay. I deserved it." Then Mulder turned on his side and looked at Skinner. "Walter, I know we're not good-- but are we okay?"

Skinner crouched down beside his lover and looked into his soulful puppy dog eyes. He touched his lips with a gentle kiss.

"We're just fine. The trust thing will get better with time."

Mulder grinned, "Yeah-- I'll make sure it does."

Skinner leaned up and squeezed some ointment into his hand, then gently applied it to Mulder's cheeks, slowly working it towards his thighs. Mulder hissed then sighed, settling comfortably on the couch, enjoying his lover's hands on his sore skin.

"I told Jake how good this stuff is."

"And he said he didn't want me to put it on him. I used to change his diapers," Skinner admitted indignantly.

"Well, he's not a baby anymore, is he?"

"True. I guess it wouldn't be really appropriate for me to apply ointment to his naked behind now. He can do it himself," Skinner said, continuing to soothe his lover's battered flesh.

"Ooooh-- but it won't feel as good as this," Mulder moaned as he felt Skinner's fingers move between his cheeks. 

Skinner leaned up and lightly tapped Mulder on the ass. "That's all for now, lover-boy. Jake's in need of this, too," Skinner said, getting up to take the ointment up to his nephew. Mulder produced a pout that Skinner could see from the stairs. Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

"Fox, can you get that?" Skinner yelled as he reached the top of the stairs.

Mulder groaned as he got up and carefully pulled up his PJ's. He padded to the door, opening it. He took the pizza from the delivery boy and told him to charge it to Skinner's account then he closed the door and took the pizza into the kitchen. He laid the box on the table then went to the cabinet to get some glasses and plates. As he was laying the plates on the table, Skinner came into the kitchen.

"Let me do that. You just sit...I mean, er..." Skinner stuttered.

"It's okay," Mulder chuckled. "I'll just get a pillow from the living room. I'll be right back," Mulder said, limping out of the kitchen. As he was about to choose the softest pillow on the couch, he saw Jake coming down the stairs.

"Was that the pizza?" Jake asked eagerly.

"Yeah. It's in the kitchen. I was picking out a pillow to sit on. Maybe you should do the same. How's the butt feel after the ointment?"

"That's good stuff. I feel much better-- but I was thinking -- can we have the pizza out here like we did when I first came?" Jake asked.

"I don't see why not. Besides, the couch is much kinder to the hind quarters than those kitchen chairs," Mulder grinned as he threw the pillow back on the couch. Just then Skinner came out of the kitchen.

"I thought I heard you out here Jake. Did the ointment help?"

"Yeah, it did. Thanks, Uncle Walt. I asked Fox if we could eat the pizza out here like we did when I first came. He said it would even be better for our butts to be on the couch."

"Yeah, sure. I'll go get the pizza and drinks while you two chill on the couch. A beer for me and Fox and a Pepsi for you, Jake," Skinner said as he disappeared into the kitchen. Jake and Mulder moved over to the couch and gingerly sat down. They both glanced at each other and began to laugh just as Skinner came back in with the pizza.

"What's so funny?" he asked, placing the box on the coffee table.

"Us," Jake answered. "We're just pitiful," he said continuing to laugh. 

"Yeah, we make a painful pair," Mulder added, continuing to laugh also.

Skinner smiled and shook his head. "You two are nuts," he said, walking back into the kitchen. When he came out again with plates, he found Jake and Mulder already into the pizza.

"Couldn't wait for the plates, I see."

"Sorry-- I was starving," Jake mumbled with a mouth full of pizza.

"Plates, we don't need no stinking plates," Mulder said before jamming a slice into his mouth.

"Well some of us are still civilized," Skinner said, placing a large slice on a plate for himself. He was about to sit down when Mulder stopped him.

"What about the drinks?"

"Oh, I forgot," Skinner said jumping up and running back into the kitchen.

"Does he always wait on you like this?" Jake asked.

"Only after he's punished me. He feels it's the least he could do for making me suffer so," Mulder grinned, biting into his slice.

"Cool!"

Skinner brought in the drinks, handing Jake a can of Pepsi and Mulder a bottle of beer. Both of them thanked him then Skinner finally settled down to his pizza-- or so he thought.

"Uncle Walt, do you have any napkins?" Jake asked, holding up his greasy fingers.

"Napkins? Yeah," Skinner said, getting up and leaving the living room again. When he was out of sight, Mulder and Jake grinned at each other.

Skinner returned and gave each of them a napkin then sat down in the recliner. When he was just about to pick up his beer, Mulder called out to him.

"Walter, do we have anymore parmesan cheese?"

Skinner glared at him briefly, before answering. "Yeah, I think so. You want me to get some?"

"Would you?" Mulder smiled.

Skinner got up again and disappeared into the kitchen.

"He's gonna' get pissed off if we keep this up," Jake admitted.

"Let's see how much more he can take," Mulder said, with an evil smirk.

"All I know is my butt can't take any more, so I'm out," Jake said, leaning back on the couch.

"Chicken," Mulder whispered, as his lover came back in with the grated parmesan. He handed the container of cheese to Mulder then went to sit down again.

"Does anyone want anything else before I sit down?" Skinner asked in a slightly sarcastic tone as he was about to sit. Mulder and Jake shook their heads, so Skinner sat.

"Oh, I forgot, my soda could use some ice," Jake announced, to the surprise of both of his uncles. Mulder was smiling at him and Skinner was glaring at him -- so much so, Jake decided to change his mind about the ice.

"That's okay, Uncle Walt. I don't need any ice. I like warm soda," he said, taking a swig of Pepsi to confirm his statement.

Skinner glanced from his nephew to his lover, who was obviously trying to prevent himself from laughing. Skinner finally realized he was being played. He decided that three could play at this game. Skinner picked up his pizza and took a bite, then frowned. Mulder and Jake noticed this.

"Something wrong with your pizza?" Jake asked.

"Yeah, it's practically ice cold. I can't eat this now," Skinner said, throwing the slice back in the box.

"How cold could it be? It's only been sitting there for a couple of minutes," Mulder realized.

Skinner scowled at his lover then asked him, "Are you saying I'm lying about my pizza being cold?"

"No," Mulder said quickly. "Why don't you pop it in the microwave?" Mulder suggested around a mouth full of pizza.

"That makes the crust chewy and tough," Skinner explained.

"Maybe you can reheat it in the oven. Mom does that with left-over pizza and it turns out pretty good," Jake suggested.

Skinner stood up and slowly walked over to the window, with his hands on his hips. He kept his back turned, as if in deep thought then turned around again.

"I think the only thing that's going to be reheated are your butts," Skinner said, trying not to smile.

Jake almost choked on his soda. He and Mulder's eyes grew wide and their mouths hung open as they stared at Skinner.

"W-what?" Jake asked, blinking.

"I think you heard me."

"But why? Because your pizza got cold?" Mulder asked, in shock.

"Yes. And whose fault was that?" Skinner asked, folding his arms and glaring.

Mulder and Jake glanced at one another then back at Skinner. After a few moments more of the ‘Skinner glare’, both of them simply shrugged and hung their heads.

"You two know very well whose fault it is. Kneel down infront of the couch -- both of you," Skinner ordered.

"Walter-- you can't be serious!" Mulder exclaimed.

"Oh yes, I can. Now, do as I say," Skinner said as he went over to where he dropped the whip and pick it up.

"Ah man! I told you he was going to be pissed if we kept it up! Now we're gonna' get another whippin'!" Jake exclaimed as he rose to his feet and knelt infront of the couch.

"What -- another whippin'? He paddled you before. I'm the one who's gonna' get another whippin", Mulder pouted, kneeling infront of the couch.

Both were kneeling side by side, with their elbows on the couch. Skinner stood and waited a few moments before he pushed up their shirts and yanked down their underwear and PJ's. Now, their behinds were bared and ready for attention. Skinner chuckled to himself as he heard two very loud groans of protest.

Mulder looked back at his lover and implored, "Walter, please don't do this! Just a few minutes ago you were upset about having to discipline us. Now you're going to do it again just because your pizza got cold? For God’s sake, I'll order another pie for you to have all to yourself!" 

Skinner contemplated Mulder’s offer-- tapping his index finger on his chin.

"No", he replied. "I don't want to have to wait a whole 30 minutes for another pie. We had a piping hot pie right here and because of your foolishness my slice got cold. Now, turn around and don't turn back around until I say so. If I catch either of you looking back, I'll add 5 more lashes to what I'm already going to give both of you. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Sir," they answered in unison as they faced the back of the couch.

"Good," Skinner said, then quietly picked up the unfinished pizza and turned to go back into the kitchen, but before he did so, he stood and looked at the sight before him. There were two sets of still rosy cheeks peering at him from the couch. Skinner's mouth formed an uncharacteristic grin then he walked out the living room.

Mulder and Jake were unaware Skinner had left the living room. They kept their noses turned towards the back of the couch, not moving, much less breathing. After several minutes, Mulder wondered if his lover was still in the room with them but dared not look back. Knowing Skinner, he was probably somewhere in the room, just waiting for one of them to look back. Mulder noticed Jake was finding it very hard to remain still. The young man was beginning to fidget horribly and it sounded like he was whimpering. Skinner didn't say they couldn't talk, so he did.

"Jake, you okay?" Mulder whispered.

Jake allowed his eyes to look sideways at Mulder.

"It's all right. He didn't say that we couldn't talk."

"No, I'm not okay. I can't take this waiting," Jake whispered, his voice cracking from anguish.

"Jake, take it easy. He won't let us for wait much longer. Besides, do you really want to rush things?" Mulder whispered back. 

"The waiting is freakin' me out. My mom doesn't let me wait like this. Why doesn't he just whip us and get it over with?"

Mulder knew the answer to that. Skinner was doing this on purpose. He knew waiting for punishment was almost as bad as receiving it. Mulder learned to deal with his lover's sadistic trait but this was new to Jake-- he wasn't handling it very well.

"Jake, he wants us to suffer. Don't give in. Be strong. You can do it. Just try to hold on, okay?" Mulder tried to convince him. 

Meanwhile, Skinner was sitting at the table leisurely enjoying his reheated pizza. He wanted his two playful pups to suffer a little for their playfulness. After finishing two slices, he glanced at his watch. He figured 30 minutes was enough time so he went back into the living room.

Mulder had no idea how much time had passed. It seemed like an hour. He noticed Jake was getting tired of kneeling and his own thighs were beginning to cramp also. Mulder wasn't even sure if Skinner was still in the room with them. Suddenly they heard a sound from the kitchen. Apparently, Skinner had been in there the whole time. 

"Uncle Walt is in the kitchen," Jake said. "Uncle Walt, please! Please don't make us wait any longer! I can't take it! Please!" Jake yelled, loud enough so he could be heard in the kitchen.

"You don't have to yell, I'm right here," Skinner replied calmly as he walked into the room.

Jake and Mulder's heads whipped around. 

"Are you going to whip us now?" Jake asked anxiously.

"No, I'm not. Pull your pants up -- both of you."

Mulder and Jake stared open-mouthed at Skinner. They watched as he went to sit in the recliner, grabbing the TV remote. After looking at each other, they pulled their pants up and sat back down on the couch. Jake threw his head back and grabbed his face, while Mulder sat smirking at his lover.

"That was just plain evil," Mulder accused. "You knew you weren't going to whip us -- you just made us believe you were."

"That's right. I knew you two were taking advantage of my kindness, so I decided to get ya' back," Skinner smiled as he found the game, then threw the remote on the table.

"Yeah, you got us all right," Jake said, relieved.

"You know you two deserved it," Skinner said, settling back in the recliner.

Two glares were the only comments coming from the couch. After that, all three settled back to watch the game-- the previous events all but forgotten. 

 

January 5th -- 11:51 AM

After three more days of being with his uncles, the day finally came when Jake had to leave. He didn't want to. He was having a good time with them but he had to go back to school and his mother. After breakfast, Jake went back to his room to pack. When he was done, he took his bags downstairs and placed them by the door. When he looked around the living room, he didn't see his uncles. He walked into the kitchen and still didn't see them. He knew they weren't in their bedroom. Where could they be? They couldn't have gone out knowing he was leaving today. 

He decided to walk outside. Jake saw their cars were still parked in the driveway, so they couldn't be too far. He went around to the back yard and saw no one was there. **What the hell?** When he went back to the front of the house and opened the door, he discovered it was locked. He pulled on the knob, thinking it was stuck, but it was locked. Jake figured the wind must have blown it shut. He couldn't believe this. He walked out onto the lawn and looked up and down the street. No sign of his uncles. He then decided to sit and wait on the front steps for them to come back. Just as he was about to sit, he noticed the front door was open. Jake knew it was locked-- what was going on here? 

He got up, cautiously pushing the door open and peered inside. When he looked in, he saw the living room was filled with balloons. As he moved to the center of the room, he heard singing behind him. When he turned around, he saw Mulder carrying a cake with lit candles and Skinner carrying a large gift wrapped box. Both men continued to walk towards Jake as they sang 'Happy Birthday'.

Jake was grinning from ear to ear as Mulder stopped in front of him. When the song was over, Mulder held up the cake.

"Come on, blow 'em out!"

"Guys, it's not my birthday," Jake confessed.

"We know it's not but your birthday's in February and you won't be here," Skinner said.

"So, it's your birthday today -- for us-- so make a wish and blow out the candles," Mulder urged.

Jake shrugged, closing his eyes briefly then blew out all 17 of the candles. One was for good luck.

"Whoo-hoo!" Mulder cheered as he placed the smoking cake on the coffee table, then turned to go into the kitchen.

"Don't give him the box until I get back!" he yelled, running from the room.

Jake looked from the box to his uncle.

"What's that?"

"You'll find out," Skinner said, grinning. Mulder came back carrying plates, a knife and forks.

"I'm back. Now you can give it to him," Mulder said, putting everything on the coffee table and sitting on the arm of the couch.

"Here ya' go Jake -- Happy Birthday," Skinner said, handing the box to his nephew.

Jake noticed it was kind of heavy. He carried the box over to the recliner, sat down and began to tear it open. Skinner joined his lover on the couch, grabbing his hand and kissing it. Once Jake removed all the paper, he pulled off the top. He couldn't believe his eyes. He reached in the box and picked up a black leather biker boot. He held up the boot, glancing over at his grinning uncles.

"You got me biker boots! I've always wanted biker boots," Jake exclaimed as he immediately pulled off his sneakers and put on his new boots. He got up and strutted around.

"They feel great! Thanks so much Uncle Walt -- Uncle Fox," he said as he went over and hugged each of them.

"That's not all," Mulder said, walking to the hall closet. Jake watched as Mulder came back carrying another box. "What would biker boots be without a..." Then he handed the box to Jake. Once again, Jake ripped open the box and pulled off the cover. His mouth fell open and his eyes almost popped out of his head. 

"I don't believe it! A biker jacket!" Jake squealed, pulling the leather jacket out of the box and immediately putting it on. He ran to the bathroom to take a look at himself in the mirror.

Mulder and Skinner got up from the couch and waited for Jake to return. When he came back, he threw himself at his uncles and wrapped his arms around them. They returned the embrace.

"You guys are the best uncles a guy could have," he said, squeezing them tight. When the embrace finally broke, they could tell Jake was crying. He quickly turned his back and wiped away his tears.

Mulder and Skinner stood with their arms around each other's shoulders.

"You can say that about me after what happened New Year's Day?" Skinner asked.

Jake came and stood in front of his uncle.

"Uncle Walt, I deserved what happened New Year's Day. Besides, you only did that to me because you loved me, right?" Jake smiled, knowing the answer.

"Right," Skinner said, rustling Jake's hair.

"Um...Uncle Walt...speaking of what happened-- are you going to...um...tell my mom?" Jake asked, timidly.

Skinner watched him for a moment then spoke.

"No Jake...you are," Skinner said simply.

Jake's eyes went wide for a second, then he lowered them. When he raised them again to look at his uncle, they were filled with remorse.

"You're right. I should be the one to tell her and I will. I promise," Jake said, extending his hand to his uncle. Skinner grabbed it and pulled him in for a warm embrace.

"Hey guys, if you two are done with all the affection -- we have cake to eat," Mulder announced, going over to the table. He began to cut a huge piece and place it on a plate. Mulder then handed it to Jake.

"Birthday boy gets the first piece."

Jake thanked him and began to devour it.

"This is really good!" Jake remarked between mouthfuls.

"Thank you!" Skinner exclaimed with pride.

"You made this Uncle Walt?" Jake asked surprised. Mulder answered before he had a chance to.

"You bet he did! Your uncle is an incredible baker. You should taste his coconut cake. It's to die for," Mulder said, cutting large pieces for himself and Skinner.

"Well, this chocolate cake is great. Is it all right if I have another piece?"

"Sure it is," Mulder said, putting down his fork and cutting another piece.

"Anyone want any milk?" Mulder asked, getting up to go into the kitchen.

"Yes!" Skinner and Jeff both yelled.

Mulder came back with a tray holding three large glasses of ice-cold milk. He carefully went over to each of them so they could take a glass. When they were down to the last piece of cake, Mulder leaned over and picked up Jake's plate and placed the cake on it.

"Shouldn't we share it?" Jake asked.

"No, we've had enough. I'm going to have to run 20 miles to work off what I ate as it is," Mulder confessed, rubbing his protruding belly.

"And I'm going to have to go 10 rounds in the ring to work off the damage I did. Besides, you're young. You'll burn it off in a second," Skinner added.

Jake shrugged and inhaled the last piece of his birthday cake. Then he glanced at his watch.

"Shit! I have to leave now if I'm gonna' make my flight," Jake pouted.

"Watch your mouth young man! I don't want your mother saying I turned you into a potty mouth while you were here," Skinner scolded.

"Sorry Uncle Walt, but it pisses me off that I have to leave. Can't you convince her to let me stay a little longer?" Jake implored.

Skinner placed his arm around his nephew.

"Jake, I would love to try and do that, but you know she wouldn't go for it. You need to get back to school. You've already missed a few days."

Jake sighed. "I'm going to miss you guys so much."

"And we're gonna' miss you, too," Mulder said, feeling himself getting misty.

"Come on, let's finish this at the airport," Skinner said, reaching down to pick up one of Jake's bags. After Jake pushed his sneakers inside the other one, Mulder bent down to take it outside. Jake grabbed the jacket he had arrived in then opened the door for them. He got into the back seat of the car while Skinner put his bags in the trunk. Mulder sat on the passenger side and they waited for Skinner to get in. Jake had a 2:30 PM flight, so they had about two hours before take off.

Once they arrived at the airport, Jake checked in. He and his uncles sat in the waiting room to wait. Mulder noticed the swagger in Jake's step as he walked over to a chair and sat down. He was taking pride in his new look. Mulder had to admit the young man did look different than he did when he first arrived. He realized it wasn't just the clothes-- it was the kid. Jake had grown up a lot in the week he'd been with them. Mulder hoped it was for the better.

Finally the hour had come. The announcement was made-- the plane was ready for boarding. Jake got up and turned to his uncles.

"Well, I guess it's time," Jake said, sniffling.

"Yeah, I guess it is," Skinner said, getting up. Mulder got up after him and moved closer to Jake.

"Jake, I want you to promise me you won't go out and get a motorcycle to go with your new look," Mulder said semi-seriously.

"Your mother would kill me," Skinner added.

"Don't worry guys. I won't be getting a bike until I'm 16 and can get my license," Jake assured.

"But you're 16 next month," Mulder realized.

"Yeah, I was thinking about a Harley with double seats, so I can take my girl for a spin. As soon as I get back, I know this guy who can hook me up with a good used one."

Skinner and Mulder's faces went white as they stared at Jake. After a beat, Jake grinned.

"Gotcha! I'm not planning on getting a bike anytime soon, guys," Jake confessed.

Mulder released the breath he was holding and Skinner just gave him his famous glare.

"I think someone had better get on their plane before I start to loosen by belt," he threatened, with a twinkle in his eye.

Jake smiled then gave his uncle a big hug. When he moved out of it, he went to Mulder and did the same.

"Don't forget to call or text us when you land so we'll know that you arrived safely," Mulder said coming out of the embrace.

"I will." Then Jake moved solemnly towards the entrance of the plane. When he had given the attendant his ticket, he turned and waved, then disappeared into the tunnel.

Mulder and Skinner stood by the window and watched the plane take off then walked away. Mulder laid his head on his lover's shoulder while Skinner wrapped his arm around him as they left the waiting area. Both men had tears in their eyes. It felt as though they were loosing their own son.

 

Continued in Chapter Six


	6. Penance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skinner is troubled and only Mulder can help him through it.

Mulder and Skinner drove home from the airport in silence, each man in his own world reliving moments spent with their nephew. When they arrived at the house, Mulder got out the car first, moving up the walkway somberly with his head low. Skinner wasn't far behind, posing a similar posture.

Mulder went inside and walked directly to the kitchen. He pulled open the frig and just stood there, staring inside. He felt hungry but was at a loss as to what he wanted. Skinner came in and noticed his lover's indecision.

"You want me to make something? I can make some eggs," Skinner suggested.

Mulder's head whipped around in Skinner's direction and he looked at him blankly.

"What?"

"I said, would you like me to fix something to eat?" Skinner asked again.

Mulder finally understood Skinner's words and was surprised to find he was still standing with the refrigerator door open. He closed it and walked towards his lover.

"Nah, I'm not really hungry. I think I'm going to watch some TV," Mulder replied, moving past Skinner into the living room.

Skinner stood alone in the kitchen, wondering if he was hungry. He decided he wasn’t, so he followed Mulder into the living room. Mulder was lying on the couch, frantically surfing through channels. Skinner couldn't make out anything before the channel was switched to something else. It was obvious Mulder wasn't intent on finding anything to watch.

"I'm going upstairs to do some reading," Skinner said as he began to climb the stairs to their bedroom.

"Okay," Mulder replied, not taking his eyes off the screen of ever-changing images.

Once in the bedroom, Skinner sat heavily on the bed and picked up his latest novel. He looked at it in his hand then threw it down on the bed, not feeling like reading. He sighed aloud and got up to go to the window. He peered through the blinds, feeling lost and troubled. He couldn't believe how much he missed his young nephew. He sensed the same unease in Mulder. The house seemed so empty and quiet now. The boy had become very special in both their lives in that short period of time. 

Suddenly a feeling of guilt and anxiety washed over Skinner. He remembered the way he felt when he found out they went to New York when he had told them not to. He remembered the punishment he enforced, the pain he inflicted and their cries of agony. He especially remembered the anger he felt at Jake for secretly watching him whip Mulder and the way he took it out on his lover then forced Jake to watch. Skinner cringed, recalling the disturbing moment. No matter what Mulder or Jake had said, he knew he was wrong to have gotten so out of control. He wanted to be truly forgiven, and not just by Mulder. He wanted to be able to forgive himself and he knew mere words wouldn't do it -- he needed something more -- something only his lover could give him.

Skinner moved away from the window and slowly went back down to the living room. Mulder was still there, mindlessly surfing with the remote. He looked up when Skinner stopped near the couch.

"Fox, I need to talk to you," Skinner said, sitting in the recliner with his head down. Mulder looked at him with concern, then sat up and shut off the TV.

"Is there something wrong, Walter?"

Skinner sighed loudly, looking at his wringing hands.

"Yes, there is. I can't stop thinking about the way I reacted to seeing Jake watching me whip you. The way I took it out on you..."

"Walter, I told you..."

"Fox, please, let me say what I need to say," Skinner interrupted, causing Mulder to refrain from continuing. He simply nodded his compliance.

"It was very wrong of me to had done that and-- I want to be forgiven," Skinner admitted, looking into his lover's eyes.

"Walter, I've already forgiven you and I'm sure Jake has, too."

Skinner closed his eyes and shook his head.

"No, not that way. I need...I need...more," Skinner acknowledged, glancing at his lover again.

Suddenly, Mulder was aware of what his lover needed. He jumped up, turning away from him.

"Walter, no! Please! You know how much I hate it!" Mulder yelled.

"I know Fox, but I need this...I need you to give me this," Skinner said calmly.

Mulder turned to face him.

"Why can't you just forget it? You made a mistake. No harm was done. Jake and I both forgive you."

"But I can't forgive myself. I need to be punished, Fox. That's the only way I'll be able to forgive myself."

Skinner sat watching his lover struggle with his decision. Mulder paced around the living room, racking his fingers through his hair in frustration. Occasionally, he would stop and scowl at Skinner then go right back to pacing. Skinner knew how much Mulder hated punishing him. Those times were so few and far between—mercifully, Mulder never had the chance to get used to doing it. Regardless, Skinner had to have him do it from time to time and he knew with all his bitching and moaning, Mulder wouldn't let him down.

Mulder finally stopped and stood in front of Skinner, releasing a sigh.

"You’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you?" 

Skinner simply nodded.

"All right. Are the rules still the same? I choose the implement, the place, your state of undress and how many?" Mulder asked, resigning himself to the task.

"Yeah, but I need this to be extreme, Fox. I know you know what that means," Skinner stated firmly.

Mulder watched him for a moment, swallowing hard. He closed his eyes to calm himself then glanced at Skinner again, nodding his understanding. Mulder knew exactly what Skinner meant. He wanted him to be thorough with this punishment. The two previous times when he had to punish Skinner, he was also told—specifically-- to be thorough. On occasion, Skinner gave Mulder thorough punishments, so he knew what was expected of him now and he hated it.

"Do you want me to fetch the case?" Skinner asked.

Mulder nodded without looking at him. Skinner rose from the chair and made his way up the stairs to their bedroom. Mulder was happy for this time alone. He needed to psyche himself up enough to be able to do this. He rubbed his hands on his face and blow out a short breath. Then he began to pace again, repeating the mantra: I can do this for Walter - I can do this for Walter.... 

Suddenly, Skinner was descending the stairs with the case clutched under his arm. He approached Mulder, offering the case to him.

"Just put it on the table," Mulder said, waving it away.

Skinner placed the case on the coffee table and opened it. Once it was opened, he stood back and waited for Mulder's orders. Mulder glanced down at the opened case and all the implements he was so familiar with. He knew he had to choose an implement that would give a thorough punishment. To Mulder, all of them would do the job just as well, but he remembered from previous sessions of punishing Skinner which ones he considered to be the most adequate.

Mulder bent down and picked up one of the implements. He held it in his hand, glancing at his lover for approval. Skinner simply shook his head, so Mulder returned the paddle to its spot in the case. Mulder contemplated the remaining implements. He knew which was worst, but he hoped Skinner wouldn't want him to use it. He bent again and moved his hand to a leather strap. Just before he was able to touch it, Skinner cleared his throat, indicating that was the wrong choice. Mulder sighed in frustration.

"You know what I need, Fox," Skinner replied in a low voice.

Mulder glared at him, then reached down to pick up what he knew Skinner wanted. It was the collapsible cane. Mulder frowned at it. A simple stick didn't look as though it could inflict the pain it did. Skinner used it on Mulder only once, but he still remembered the agony it caused him. He held it the handle in his hand and looked at Skinner again. The brown eyes gave him silent approval. Mulder bit down on his lip, then turned away, as he put the cane together.

"Where do you want me?" Skinner asked, anxious to get this over with.

Mulder shrugged. "I don't know. Anywhere."

"What about over the back of the recliner?" Skinner suggested.

"Yeah, whatever," Mulder replied, not caring where he went.

Skinner moved towards the chair and stood behind it. He looked over at Mulder, who was still obviously having trouble coming to terms with what he had to do.

"Fox, should I take off my pants or just push them down?"

Mulder turned to face him. "What would you rather do?"

"I think I should take them off," Skinner said.

"Then do it! Christ, do you have to ask me every little thing?!" Mulder yelled, his anxiety and anger about having to punish his lover continuing to grow.

Skinner walked over to him and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Fox, I know this is hard for you. I'm sorry I have to ask you to do this, but you're the only one who can do this for me," Skinner's words were gentle and patient.

Mulder looked down at the comforting hand on his shoulder, then into the gently pleading chestnut eyes. He could never deny this man anything, no matter how hard it was for him. Mulder gave him a tight smile, then nodded.

"Go stand behind the chair Walter and take your pants and underwear off."

Skinner moved behind the chair again, removing his shoes. Then he opened his pants and pushed them and his briefs down his legs. He bent down, stepping out of them then kicked them aside. Afterwards, he stood waiting for Mulder.

"Walter, you know what to do next -- lean over the back," Mulder said, getting close behind him.

Skinner rested his pelvis on the back of the chair then bent all the way down, placing his hands on the arms. Now his naked behind was raised high in the air. Mulder pushed his shirt up his back and out of the way of his butt then he looked at the cane in his hand. He slid his hand along the smooth surface then glanced at its intended destination. His lover's firm, perfectly round ass. The pale orbs were in direct contrast to the beautiful bronze complexion of the rest of Skinner's body. Skinner wasn't one for sunbathing in the nude, no matter how much Mulder urged him to do so.

Mulder couldn't help but rub his hand across the smooth surface. He felt the cheek muscles tighten from his touch, but he continued to caress and squeeze it. Then he moved to the other cheek and repeated the same thing. This time he fondled the buttock a little too long.

"Fox, please," Skinner pleaded-- wanting his lover to stop and begin his punishment.

Mulder stopped and quickly removed his hand. 

"Sorry," he said as he positioned the cane near Skinner's butt then placed his other hand on his back and paused.

"Okay, Walter. What is this punishment for?"

"I lost my temper with Jake and forced him to watch me whip you. Then I took my anger out on you and whipped you harder and longer than I should have."

When Skinner was through, Mulder raised the cane and brought it down across the exposed skin. Skinner felt a sharp sting, but it was nothing like what he should have felt.

"Not hard enough, Fox. Remember, this has to be thorough," Skinner reminded him.

Mulder made a face then raised the cane again. This time he brought it down harder. The result was a grunt from his lover and the imprint of the cane on his skin.

"Better," Skinner gasped, "but I know you can hit harder than that."

Mulder caned him again, this time striking the back of his thighs. He heard Skinner take in a sharp breath. He figured this was more like what Skinner wanted...needed, so he gave him another just like it. Skinner grunted,

"That's good, Fox - keep 'em like that," Skinner urged.

"If that's what you want, Walter," Mulder replied grimly. He started to cane his lover fervently. He established a good rhythm. Soon Skinner's behind was covered in a myriad of red angry welts. He knew he was finally accomplishing what Skinner wanted from the way his head kept rising and falling with every lash. Ever so often, he would let out a yelp but he tried not to scream. Mulder knew Skinner always kept punishing him until he was crying in earnest. He figured he'd have to keep this up until Skinner was sobbing, too. Mulder hated the fact he knew he wasn't even half way through with his lover's punishment because he was a tough son of a bitch. Skinner wasn't going to cry until he had reached his limit and then some. Mulder hoped he could hold out until then.

Mulder decided he needed to concentrate on the most vulnerable part of Skinner's buttocks in order for him to really feel it. Mulder knew he needed to strike the tender flesh just below the cheeks where butt met thigh-- the sit spot. He raised the cane but instead of hitting the sit spot, the cane struck the back of his thighs. This also being a very sensitive area, Skinner let out a loud grunt. After a few more strikes, Mulder discovered he was improving. He was able to hit the sit spot more often, causing his lover great discomfort. Now, he knew Skinner was really feeling it and he found it difficult to continue. He had to stop.

Skinner lifted his head and looked back to see why Mulder had stopped. He saw Mulder was just standing there with the cane hanging down in his hand.

"Fox, you can't be done," Skinner rasped out.

Mulder glanced at him. 

"I'm really hurting you now," Mulder said with his voice breaking.

"Fox, that's the point of punishment. It's supposed to really hurt - you know that."

"But now I'm punishing you and it's...different...harder," Mulder admitted with his head bowed.

"Fox, I know it's hard but it's something I need you to do. You have to make it really hurt so I can feel better about what I did. I need to feel I'm really being punished...it has to hurt."

Mulder bit on his lower lip, as he thought over what Skinner had said.

"I know you can do this for me, Fox. You did it before and you can do it again."

Mulder sighed once then nodded.

"Let's get this over with," he said, repositioning the cane over his lover's buttocks. He began to cane him steadily, connecting almost every time with his sit spot and thighs. Skinner began to groan and thrash his head from side to side. Mulder steeled himself against Skinner's sounds of pain. He knew he had to cause the big man a lot more discomfort before this would be over.

In order to make the strikes fall consecutively, one after the other with no gaps, Mulder began to do a crisscross motion with him arm. He struck forward then backhanded the cane across Skinner's ass. This was obviously a good move, because now Skinner wasn't able to catch his breath before another strike struck him. Mulder noticed Skinner was getting a bit louder and he was lifting his feet off the floor from the pain. Mulder figured that a little longer like this and Skinner will be screaming-- then he could stop.

Mulder wasn't sure how long he had been at this. It felt like an hour had passed. His arm was getting tired. He couldn't imagine how Skinner's ass must feel, but it sure looked bad. He made sure no skin was broken, but there were plenty of nasty welts all over his butt and thighs. Mulder was sure his lover wouldn't be sitting comfortably for days. Even so, Skinner still wasn't crying yet. Mulder knew if he kept this up any longer, he would surely break skin, so he stopped again. Skinner looked back, breathing hard as he spoke.

"Not yet."

"Hold on, I'm not done," Mulder said, walking over to the coffee table and replaced the cane inside the case.

Skinner watched as his lover came back to him, carrying something else. From where he was, it was difficult to see what Mulder had. Before he had time to come to a conclusion, Skinner felt what it was. Mulder smacked the first implement he had chosen hard against the already sore area just below Skinner's right cheek. Skinner let out a roar of pain. This was good. Soon it will all be over, Mulder thought. He applied the same intensity to the left cheek and got the same reaction from him. He continued to smack back and forth, from one cheek to the other, until Skinner was wailing in earnest. After giving his thighs a few hard smacks, Mulder threw down the paddle and knelt down beside the chair.

"Walter, please say that's enough!" Mulder implored as he caressed his lover's sweaty scalp.

Skinner was still sobbing quietly. When he was able to get his breathing under control, he turned his head to look at Mulder.

"Yes, Fox, it's enough. You did good," Skinner said, panting hard.

Mulder wrapped his arms around Skinner's shoulders, squeezing him tight and laying kisses all over his head. He was so relieved Skinner told him that it was indeed enough. He helped him to stand. Skinner let out a sharp hiss as his shirt fell against his battered cheeks. Mulder immediately held it up, pulling it completely off his body. Now Skinner was completely naked but he didn't care - all he wanted to do was lie belly-down on the couch. Mulder assisted him to the couch and onto his stomach then went to the downstairs bathroom and soaked a towel in cold water. He returned to Skinner, placing the cool towel on his welted cheeks and thighs. Skinner groaned from the sensation. 

Mulder went upstairs to their bedroom, telling Skinner he would be back shortly. He returned crouching beside the couch and carefully removing the now warm towel from Skinner's ass.

"I brought down the ointment. Your butt will start feeling better soon," Mulder said, opening the tube and squeezing some onto the palm of his hand. After putting the tube on the table, he gently rubbed his hands together and placed them on his lover's warm globes. Skinner clenched his butt cheeks then relaxed them. Mulder began to lightly move his hands across the welted flesh, trying to be as gentle as he could. The last thing he wanted was to cause his lover any more pain.

Skinner put his face into his folded arms as he moaned and groaned. This wasn't from feeling pain. On the contrary, the ointment was working and the soreness was abating. He was now moaning and groaning from the pure pleasure of his lover's hands soothing his tortured flesh.

"That feels good, huh baby?" Mulder asked, knowing the answer.

Skinner just groaned louder, causing Mulder to grin. After applying some to the backs of his thighs, Mulder put the ointment on the table then began to massage his lover's tense muscles. He started with his feet - rubbing and squeezing the entire foot and each toe then to the other foot. He moved to his ankle and up to the firm calf, kneading out the tightness there. When he was done with the other leg, he went to his hands. He massaged every thick finger on both hands then the palms and the wrists. Afterwards, he moved to the lower arm then the powerful biceps. Skinner continued to sigh loudly and groan in pleasure. Mulder went to the strong back muscles where he found a lot of tightness. He massaged it out as much as he could before moving up the back to the shoulder blades. When he began to squeeze the tautness there, Skinner cried out.

"I'm so sorry, Walter. I'll try to be more careful," Mulder said, feeling guilty for causing his lover pain. He realized these muscles were sore from him leaning down on the arms of the chair during the punishment.

"It's okay - keep doing what you're doing. It feels great," Skinner admitted.

Mulder still tried to be more careful as he squeezed out the tenseness in Skinner's shoulders and neck. Suddenly, Mulder heard the sound of snoring. His massage had relaxed him so much Skinner had fallen asleep. Mulder smiled to himself then bent down to lay a tiny kiss on the side of his face.

"My poor, tired, thoroughly punished baby," Mulder whispered as he got up and quietly made his way out of the living room. He came back moments later carrying a light sheet which he carefully placed over his lover's sweaty naked body. Then he went into the kitchen to prepare something for them to eat.

Mulder stood in front to the refrigerator again, trying to decide on what to fix. Skinner had mentioned eggs before. That sounded good to him so he pulled out the carton and placed it on the counter. He went about getting everything he needed to prepare the eggs when the phone rang. He ran to answer it, not wanting it to wake Skinner.

"Mulder."

"Hey Uncle Fox, it's me, Jake!"

"Hey Jake! You're home already," Mulder said, glancing at his watch. A few hours had passed. Times sure flies when you're caning the shit out of your lover, Mulder thought.

"Yeah. Mom picked me up at the airport and there was hardly any traffic."

"That's great! How was the flight?"

"Okay. I sat next to this lady who wouldn't stop talking. I couldn't even listen to my music."

"It's happened to me, too," Mulder chuckled.

"Is Uncle Walt there?"

"Um...yeah, but he's taking a nap right now."

"Did you wear him out as soon as you got back home? You know he's not a young man anymore," Jake teased.

"Hey, watch that kind of talk - your mother could be listening," Mulder scolded playfully.

"As a matter of fact, she's right here," he said glancing at his mother, who was reaching for the phone. "She wants to talk to you." Jake handed the phone to her.

"Hey Fox! How are you?" Laurie asked enthusiastically.

"I'm fine Laurie. How are you?"

"Good! Listen, I want to thank you and Walter for putting up with my teen terror here," she said rustling her son's hair -- to his dismay.

"It was our pleasure. We all had a great time."

"Yeah, he told me you guys had a ball. I couldn't believe you gave him boots and a leather jacket. I almost didn't recognize him when he got off the plane," she giggled.

"It was an early birthday present."

"He told me. That was very nice of you both. He's looking forward to wearing it on his first day back at school."

"We're glad he liked it."

"I was wondering-- he didn't give you and Walter any trouble, did he?" She asked, glaring at Jake who was looking a little too sheepish for his own good.

It was apparent Jake hadn't told her about their trip to New York or his being punished by his uncle.

"Trouble? Nah, he was no trouble," he lied.

"That's good. Is Walter there? Can I talk to him?" Laurie asked.

"Well, he's sleeping now but I can have him call you when he wakes up."

"Okay. I should go. Jake didn't eat what they gave him on the plane, so he's starving now. I gotta' fix him something," Laurie said, moving to the frig and opening the door.

"I was about to fix some eggs for Walter and myself to eat when he wakes up", Mulder offered, cracking the eggs in a bowl.

"Yeah, Walter loves eggs but you have to watch his cholesterol," Laurie warned, being the concerned sister.

"He just got it checked. It's fine," Mulder assured.

"Good. Take care, Fox." Jake could be heard shouting in the background. "Okay, okay! Fox, Jake wants to say something else," she said giving him the phone.

"Uncle Fox, I want to thank you again for everything," Jake said, emphasizing the word ‘everything’. Mulder knew Jake was thanking him for not saying anything to his mother about what had really happened.

"You're welcome Jake-- but you do remember what you promised Walter, don't you?"

There was silence on the other end.

"Jake?"

"Yeah, I remember," Jake answered solemnly.

"Good. I gotta' go fix something to eat. I'll talk to ya' soon, okay?"

"Okay, Uncle Fox. Bye."

"Bye." 

Mulder hung up the phone, feeling bad for Jake. He knew Jake needed to tell his mom what happened, but it wouldn't be easy for him or his behind, if the stories about Laurie were true. Mulder went back to preparing the eggs. He decided to make tomato and cheese omelets with buttered toast. When one was done he placed it in the oven to keep it warm. Mulder was pouring the eggs in the pan for the other one when he heard a sound behind him. He looked back to find Skinner standing in the doorway of the kitchen, wrapped in a sheet, yawning.

"You up already? I wanted you to sleep until I finished fixing the eggs," Mulder said, dropping cubes of cheese in the eggs.

"I smelled 'em. Best alarm clock in the world," Skinner said, taking in a whiff of air.

Mulder glanced back, smiling as he folded the egg with a spatula.

"How ya' feeling? You didn't sleep very long."

"I didn't mean to fall asleep, but your massages are so damn good," Skinner grinned, pulling the sliding sheet back up on his shoulders.

"How's the ass?"

"It's been better," Skinner said honestly as he watched Mulder put the second omelet in the oven. Then he put four slices of bread in the toaster and pulled down the lever.

"Are you going to eat in that thing?" Mulder smiled, leaning against the counter with his arms folded.

Skinner looked down at himself.

"I guess I should change," he said, gathering up the sheet so he wouldn't trip on it and break his neck.

"Not so fast," Mulder said, moving closer to his lover. "I kind of like this ‘Animal House’ look on you," he growled, pulling at the sheet, trying to unwrap him.

Skinner backed away from him.

"Fox, no! I need to go upstairs, take a quick shower and change."

Skinner finally got away from his lecherous lover and was making it to the staircase when he was suddenly stopped. He looked back and saw Mulder had placed both feet on the sheet and was preventing Skinner from moving.

"Fox, please! Get off! I'm sore and hungry. I'm in no mood to play games," Skinner exclaimed, giving the sheet a mighty tug. It pulled Mulder's feet from under him causing him to fall to the floor. Skinner rushed over to him thinking he might be injured but he soon realized he was fine. Mulder was rolling around on the floor, laughing his head off.

"If you don't mind, I'm going upstairs now to shower and change," Skinner announced, finally reaching the stairs and slowly going up. When he got to the top, he stood and watched as Mulder was still lying there laughing. He just shook his head and continued into the bathroom.

After putting on his loosest fitting sweat pants and a T-shirt, Skinner made his way back downstairs. He saw Mulder had finally gotten up off the floor and had stopped laughing. He walked into the kitchen and saw Mulder placing the omelets on plates.

"I see you finally stopped laughing long enough to finish preparing our meal," Skinner said, sarcastically. He looked down and saw one chair had a pillow on it. "Is this for me?"

"Yeah. Look, Walter, I'm really sorry about fooling with you in there. I don't know what got into me," Mulder smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, I know what got into you all right. My nana would say it was the devil. You just wanted to make me drop the sheet," Skinner said, raising an eyebrow at his lover. 

Mulder opened his eyes innocently then began to chuckle again.

"You know me so well."

"Yeah, I do. Now, let's eat -- I'm starved," Skinner said, gingerly sitting on the pillowed seat.

Both men ate in silence for a while then Mulder spoke.

"Are you okay now? I mean-- have you forgiven yourself?"

"Oh yeah. You did a good job of helping me with that. Thank you," Skinner whispered, reaching for Muldler's hand and kissing it.

"Anytime," Mulder blushed.

Skinner was lost in thought for a moment.

"I wonder if Jake got home okay. He didn't call," Skinner said, concerned.

"Oh, yeah he did. I meant to tell ya' he called while you were asleep. He got home fine. Laurie picked him up from the airport."

"You should have woken me up. I wanted to talk to him," Skinner said.

"Walter, you needed your rest. I told Laurie you would call when you woke up," Mulder assured him.

"Did he tell her what happened?"

"Not yet, but he will."

"Well, I'm going up to call her now before it gets too late," Skinner said, getting up from the table. "Thanks for the eggs -- they were delicious as usual," Skinner added, kissing Mulder on the mouth then moving stiffly out of the kitchen and up the stairs to their bedroom. When he reached the top of the stairs, Mulder called to him.

"Walter, are you going to tell her what happened yourself?"

"Only if he hasn't," Skinner replied then disappeared from Mulder's sight.

Mulder hoped Jake kept his promise and told his mother. It would probably be better for his butt if his mother heard the story from him than from Skinner. Mulder went about clearing the dishes from the table and washing them. Once he was done, he stayed in the living room so Skinner would have privacy in the bedroom talking with his sister. He decided to grab the remote and watch some TV until he was done.

Before making the call, Skinner needed to put on some more ointment. He slid down his sweats and was massaging it into his sore backside when the phone rang. He pulled up his sweats and wiped his hand on his T-shirt before answering the phone.

"Skinner."

"Well, you finally woke up," Laurie said, smiling.

"Sis! I was just about to call you!" Skinner admitted happily as he went to sit on the bed.

"Well, I beat ya'. Did Fox tell you we called earlier?"

"Yeah. Jake got home okay."

"Yes he did. I picked him up at the airport and almost didn't recognize him."

"You talkin' about his new look?"

"Yes I am. You two shouldn't have done it."

"Well, it was for his birthday and he's a good kid."

"He is?"

"Yeah, he is. Why?"

"Walter, I know about what happened. He told me everything," Laurie admitted, sounding somewhat annoyed.

"He did, did he?" Skinner replied, somewhat embarrassed.

"Yes, he did and I don't think he deserved those gifts for his behavior."

"Sis, he made an error in judgment and was punished," Skinner said simply.

"You punished him?" Laurie asked in surprise.

"Well, yeah -- didn't he tell you that?"

"No, this is the first I'm hearing of it."

Skinner sighed aloud. 

"Sis, what exactly did Jake say happened?"

"He told me he and Fox went to New York for New Year's Eve. He said you had told them not to go but they went anyway."

"Yeah, that 's right. What else did he say?"

"Well, he said when they got back you were home and Fox told you where they went." 

"Right again. And he didn't say anything about me punishing them?"

"No, he didn't. Walter, what did you mean when you said that you punished them?" Laurie asked somewhat shocked.

"Never mind that, sis," Skinner said, trying to quickly change the subject. "Jake should have told you I punished him. Is he there? Can I talk to him?"

"Yeah, he's not sitting too well, but he's here -- just a minute. JAKE! YOUR UNCLE WALT WANTS TO TALK TO YOU!" Laurie yelled.

"Sis, you already punished him?"

"You bet I did. As soon as he told me what happened, I made him take his pants down and I heated up his butt. He should have never made Fox take him to New York. He knew how I felt about that. Wait a minute -- he's here, hold on," Laurie said, handing the phone to her son.

"Yeah," Jake's somber voice said.

"Hey Jake. I guess you're not doing too good, huh?" Skinner asked, knowing exactly how the boy felt.

"No."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that Jake, but why didn't you tell your mother I had already punished you?"

Jake shrugged then realized his uncle couldn't see it.

"I dunno."

"Were you too embarrassed to tell her?"

"I dunno," Jake shrugged again, but he did know that was the reason -- that and the fact it wouldn't have made a difference. He knew his mom was still going to punish him whether she knew he was already punished or not.

"She was still going to punish me anyway," Jake admitted.

"You didn't know that for sure, Jake. You still should have told her," Skinner scolded.

"Should I had told her about Fox, too?" Jake asked sarcastically.

"What happened between Fox and I was private."

Jake turned his back from his mother so she wouldn't hear. "Is that why you made me watch you beat the crap out of him?" Jake hissed into the phone.

Skinner knew that was Jake's pain, humiliation and anger talking.

"Look Jake -- I know you're really pissed right now. Maybe we should talk more about this when you're feeling up to it, all right?"

"Whatever," Jake said, then gave the phone back to his mother and ran back up to his room, slamming the door.

"He's angry," Laurie said.

"Can ya' blame him, sis? Would you had punished him if he had told you I already had?"

"I don't know. It depends on how I felt about things and how well you punished him," Laurie admitted honestly.

"I paddled his butt very well," Skinner said.

"Well, he got belted on top of that," she said unrepentantly.

Skinner shook his head.

"Don't you think you were a little hard on him?"

"Not really, besides when I punished him, I didn't know you already had. It'll just teach him never to do something like that again."

Skinner couldn't find the words to address what his sister had just said. He never really agreed with the way she punished Jake. He believed in spankings, paddlings and such but sometimes he felt his sister went too far. That didn't mean she ever seriously hurt her son but from what she had told him, she really gave it to him. Laurie claimed it was because he's a boy, and their parents had told her you have to be harder on boys. I guess that would explain all of Skinner's hours spent in the corner with a red butt. 

The silence Laurie heard on the other end made her think her brother didn't agree.

"Walter, don't worry about Jake. He'll be fine. Tomorrow he would have forgotten all about it," she assured.

Skinner wasn't so sure. He remembered every whippin' their parent's ever gave him. 

"Walter, there's something I need to ask you concerning what happened."

"What is it?"

"Why didn't you call and tell me what he did yourself?"

"Well, I gave him the choice to tell you or let me take care of things."

"Walter, what do think he would have chosen? He knows what I would do to him but he didn't know what you would do."

"He knew he would be spanked."

"Yeah. He probably figured you would go easy on him and you probably were," Laurie said confidently.

"Sis, I already told you I gave him a good paddling," Skinner said, getting increasingly annoyed.

"There's no such thing as a *good* paddling, Walter. A paddle hardly brings the message home. Now, a *good* whippin' or beltin' does it every time."

"Sis, you have your way to punish Jake and I have mine," Skinner informed.

"And speaking of punishing Jake -- I know you love him and want to protect him, but I don't think you should have punished him without my consent."

"He is my flesh and blood nephew, sis."

"Yeah, but he's my son and I'm his legal guardian. I have the last word on what happens to him. You were wrong to not tell me what was going on."

"You're right and I'm sorry, but I thought it was the thing to do at the time. I mean, I was responsible for him while he was here."

"Yes, you were, but you should have gotten my permission to punish him. I would have still let you do it -- I just should have been told. You kept me in the dark about all of it, Walter. We used to tell each other everything," Laurie told her brother, somewhat hurt.

Skinner heard the hurt and betrayal in her voice.

"Sis, I'm sorry for not telling you everything, but I told Jake to tell you when he got home. I thought he should have been the one to do it, not me," Skinner admitted sincerely.

"Well, that was wrong Walter. You should have told me yourself."

"How many times do you want me to say I'm sorry?" Skinner asked repentantly. "I made a mistake."

"Yeah, ya' did, but we can talk more about this at another time, along with what you can do to make it up to me. This is long distance and we've been on the phone for a long while," Laurie said, not as upset anymore.

Skinner chuckled, wondering what she would make him do to make this up to her -- knowing her, it will probably be a doozy....

"Next time, I'll call you."

"Okay. Give Fox my love," she said.

"I will and send ours to Jake and tell him we'll call him soon."

"Will do -- love ya' bro."

"Love ya' back sis."

With that, they each hung up. Skinner sat thinking about the conversation. It ended pretty well considering. He knew he was wrong to not tell his sister what happened with her son, but he took the risk of handling the situation himself. Oh well... What did he know about the right thing to do in taking care of kids -- especially someone else's? He just hoped Jake would get over it soon, like his mother said he would.

Skinner rose from the bed stiffly and went back downstairs to the living room. Mulder was sprawled on the couch watching TV. When he saw Skinner he immediately sat up and shut of the set.

"Walter, what happened? You were up there for ages," Mulder said, watching as Skinner sat gingerly in the recliner.

"We had a lot to talk about," Skinner said simply.

"How's Jake? Did he tell her what happened?" Mulder asked anxiously.

"Jake's not doing too well at the moment," Skinner admitted sadly.

"Really? What happened to him?" 

"Laurie whipped him with a belt."

"Even though you already punished him? Boy, Laurie's one strict lady," Mulder said, wincing at the thought.

"It seems he never told her I punished him."

"Really? I wonder why?"

"I think he was too embarrassed to tell her. Can ya' blame the kid?" Skinner asked, feeling uncomfortable.

"Not really. What did he tell her?"

"He told her the two of you went to New York for New Year's Eve without my permission."

"That's it? He didn't mention me getting punished, too?"

"Apparently not."

"I guess that's a good thing. We don't need Laurie knowing our little secret," Mulder said, laying back on the couch in relief.

"Well, we're not out of hot water yet -- at least I'm not. Laurie is pissed at me for not calling and telling her what happened and for punishing Jake without her permission," Skinner explained, rubbing his hand over his scalp.

Mulder sat up again. 

"Really? Is she mad at me, too-- for taking Jake to New York in the first place?"

"I don't think so. She said Jake probably talked you into doing it."

"Yeah, but she knows I disobeyed you and took him and on top of that. I didn't mention it when we spoke on the phone," Mulder realized.

"Fox, I wouldn't try to push the issue if I were you. As you may already know, my sister has a terrible temper. You do not want to be on her bad side," Skinner warned.

Mulder swallowed hard.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. If she's not mad at me, I should consider myself lucky," Mulder grinned, nervously.

"Yeah, you should."

"So, she's mad at you, huh? What do you think she's gonna' do?"

Skinner shrugged. "I don't know," he answered honestly. "Knowing her, it'll be something devious."

"Has she been known to punish grown men?" Mulder asked, biting on his lip.

"You mean, does she spank anyone besides her son?"

"Yeah-- and are they grown men?"

"I don't know, Fox, but I would guess she doesn't."

"I thought you two talk about everything. Wouldn't you know for sure if she did something like that?"

"Yeah, I would, but maybe there are some things she keeps from me."

"Well, if she does spank other people, do you think she would spank you?"

Skinner looked at his lover, who was obviously worried about the answer to this question.

"Let's put it this way -- I hope not," Skinner smiled.

"You don't seem too concerned about it."

"Why should I be? I really don't think Laurie is going to make a trip all the way out here just so she could whip her big brother's butt," Skinner chuckled as he got up and walked to the back door.

"Then that means I'm safe, too."

"Yes, Fox, you're safe, too," Skinner assured Fox as he opened the door. “I'm going to work on the book shelf for a while," he announced then went outside to the shed to work on a wooden shelf he was making for the study.

"Okay! I'm going for a quick run." After going upstairs to put on his running shoes and a sweatshirt, Mulder opened the door and started his run. When he got back, Skinner was still in the shed working, so he went up and took a shower, changed, then went to the bedroom.

After about two hours of working on the shelf, Skinner stopped and came back in the house. He went upstairs to the bedroom and saw Mulder lying in bed looking over his notes from the case he and Scully were presently working on. He looked over his glasses at Skinner.

"Hey, you finished the shelf?"

"Almost -- I just have to put on one more coat of varnish," Skinner said, climbing into bed and nuzzling his lover's neck. Mulder moved the folder he was looking at to the side then removed his glasses. Skinner laid on top of him, continuing to hungrily devour his captive. Mulder brought his hands around to squeeze the big man's ass. Skinner let out a loud groan.

"Still tender, I see," Mulder breathed in between kisses.

"Mm-mmph," Skinner answered then leaned up and quickly removed his shirt and sweats.

"Get naked, Fox," he ordered.

"Yes, Sir," Mulder said as he, too, removed all his clothes. After both men were gloriously naked, they began some serious love making - arms and legs thrashing - tongues wrestling - throats screaming. It was the first time they were alone in the house since Jake left. While Jake was there, they had to be mindful of the young man, and any noise that they made, but not now. They just hoped a concerned neighbor wouldn't be inclined to call the police.

The next morning, Skinner was awakened by the phone ringing. Mulder didn't stir. Skinner leaned over his lover and felt for the phone, since his eyes refused to open.

"Skinner," he groaned.

"Uncle Walt, it's Jake. I hope I didn't wake you."

Skinner opened one eye and blearily tried to find out the time, but couldn't make out the numbers.

"Jake, what time is it?"

"Um...7:35."

"AM?" Skinner asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah. I did wake you. I'm sorry, but I really wanted to talk to you before I went to school."

Mulder began to stir, opening his eyes and squinting at Skinner.

"Who's that?"

"It's Jake,” he whispered to Mulder. “Jake is everything okay?" Skinner asked, the concern for his nephew waking him fully. Mulder was also awake now and sitting up in bed, trying to listen.

"Everything's cool, Uncle Walt. I just wanted to apologize for the way I acted on the phone last night."

Skinner glanced at Mulder's worried face then shook his head to tell the younger man everything was all right. Mulder blew out a sigh of relief then dragged himself out of bed to take a shower.

"It's okay, Jake. I totally understood - believe me," Skinner smiled.

"I'm glad. I was just a little bummed about everything."

"Are you and your mom cool now?"

"Yeah, but she's not letting me wear the boots or the jacket for another week. I wanted to wear them today for my first day back," Jake pouted. 

"Well, don't sweat it. You'll get to wear them soon enough. Just be glad she’s not telling you to send them back to us," Skinner warned.

"Yeah, you're right about that. Uncle Walt, mom's pretty angry at you."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, after she spoke to you, she started walking around the house mumbling to herself. I was able to pick up a word here and there and it was about you not telling her what happened."

"Really."

"Yeah and she thinks you should have told her you were going to paddle me."

"Well, don't worry about it, Jake. Your mom and I discussed everything last night. Everything's going to be okay," Skinner said, reassuring his nephew.

"Mom can hold a grudge for a long time. I just wanted to let you know that," Jake warned.

"Jake, I've known your mom a little longer than you and know what she's capable of, but thanks for letting me know."

Mulder could be heard in the background, yelling about working up a good appetite last night and he was starving now.

"Is that Uncle Fox? Can I talk to him?" Jake asked eagerly.

"Yeah, sure. I need to go fix breakfast. Talk to ya' later Jake," Skinner said, handing the phone to Mulder. "Fox, Jake wants to talk to you."

Mulder came over in his towel and sat on the side of the bed, taking the phone.

"Hey, Jake! I heard what happened to you. Are you okay?"

"A little sore this morning, but I'm okay. I wanted to say 'hi' before I headed off to school."

"Cool. Listen Jake, did your mother say anything about me? Is she angry about me taking you to New York and not telling her when we spoke on the phone?"

"She didn't say anything about you, but she's pissed at Uncle Walt."

"Yeah, I heard," Mulder admitted.

)))))JAKE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE FOR SCHOOL IF YOU DON'T GET OFF THE PHONE NOW!!!(((((((

"Uncle Fox, I've got to go," Jake announced sadly.

"Okay Jake -- have a good day at school. I'll talk to ya' again soon."

"Okay. Tell Uncle Walt I said 'bye'."

"I will. Bye." Mulder hung up, got dressed then went down to breakfast. 

 

Continued in Chapter Seven


	7. The Return?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spring recess is approaching, which means another vacation for Jake. Will he want to visit his uncles again and will Laurie let him?

It was now several months since Jake's visit. Fox and Walter kept in touch with him through numerous phone conversations. Jake was doing well in school and was wearing his biker boots and jacket almost every day. He said they made him look cool as well as kind of tough. The girls liked his new look, too. He'd broken up with his girlfriend: it seems she didn't like all the attention his new look was getting or his new tough attitude. His mom wasn't so thrilled with his new attitude either and had to give him a few painful attitude adjustments on occasion. During their last encounter, she actually gave him a choice -- either lose the jacket and boots or lose the attitude. He opted for the latter. There was no way he was getting rid of his new cool look. He just had to make sure he got rid of the new bad-ass attitude. That wasn't really too hard for him to do, after all, he was actually a good kid. He didn't really get into trouble that much - and when he did it wasn't very serious. Soon he was his old self again, with a cool look.

 

April 3  
Oregon  
Late afternoon

Spring was coming. The weather was getting warmer, but that didn't stop Jake from wearing the heavy boots and leather jacket. It was two weeks before Spring Recess and he would have a little over a week out of school. As he walked home from school, he was thinking on how great it would be if he could visit Uncle Walt and Uncle Fox again. When Jake reached his house he walked to the back, entering through the kitchen, where he found his mom placing a pot roast in the oven. He placed his jacket on the back of a chair then walked over to her.

"Hey mom," he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek as she was leaning up.

Laurie gave her son a peculiar look then folded her arms.

"Okay. What have you done?" she asked suspiciously.

"What are you talking about?" Jake turned towards the frig, shrugging off her reaction.

Laurie narrowed her eyes at him then decided to forget about it. "How was school?" she asked, taking a couple of potatoes from the bin. 

"It was okay," he answered simply. He grabbed a soda then went to sit at the kitchen table. "Mom, Spring Recess is in two weeks. I was thinkin' maybe I could go visit Uncle Fox and Uncle Walt," Jake stated, taking a swig from the soda can.

Laurie looked over to her son.

"You want to go visit your uncles again?"

"Yeah. They said I could come back anytime."

"Jake, after all the trouble you caused just a few months ago, do you really think they're going to want you back so soon?" Laurie asked, joining Jake at the table.

"Mom, everything is cool now. They both forgave me."

Laurie tilted her head and pursed her lips.

"It's true! They want me to come back. Uncle Fox just said the other day he wished I were there because there was this motorcycle show at the Javitts Center two months ago. It would have been great if the three of us could have gone. They miss me mom and I miss them," Jake said, trying to sound pitiful.

Laurie put down the potato peeler and turned to face her son.

"What makes you think I would let you go back to visit them especially after your behavior while you were there? You think I can trust you?"

Jake's eyes widened and he swallowed hard.

"Mom, haven't I been good since I've been back?"

"Well, other than me having to put you in your place about your attitude with the boots and jacket, yes, you've been okay. But I'm talking about when you're away. It seems you think all the rules are different when I'm not around."

"That won't happen this time, mom. I promise!" Jake said eagerly. "I've grown up a lot in the last few months. I'm 16 now. Besides, if I try anything, you know Uncle Walt will take care of me," he assured, a little embarrassed.

"Yeah and let's hope this time he'll inform me of what's happening," she said sarcastically.

"Does that mean I can go?" Jake asked, trying to contain his enthusiasm.

"I didn't say that. Besides-- you have to ask your uncles first."

"Oh, they're going to say it's okay, I know it! Can I call them now and ask them? Please?"

"No, I have to think about it. I'll let you know. Now, get upstairs and start your homework. I'll call you when dinner's ready," Laurie said as she began peeling potatoes.

"Okay mom," Jake relented, kissing his mother again then grabbing an apple from the bowl and leaving the kitchen.

Laurie's eyes narrowed again as she looked after her son. She could see the “buttering up” process had already started. He was usually not so obedient to begin his homework without a fuss. He usually begged her to play video games first. Then there was the second kiss before leaving the kitchen. One kiss on entering was his limit and Laurie had to frequently remind him to do that. She knew until she gave him her decision, he was going to try to be the perfect son. Laurie smiled to herself, shaking her head as she went back to preparing dinner.

 

Crystal City  
Late afternoon

Mulder had arrived home early for a change. He and Scully typed up their latest report and handed it in to Skinner. Mulder was going to stay in the office and get started on their next case but after much urging from his partner, decided not to and headed home. It had been a tough couple of days and Scully suggested they begin the new case in the morning. The report was pretty intricate. He and Scully tried to be as detailed as possible. With a report like that, Mulder knew his lover wouldn't be home any time soon. He decided to go for a nice long run. The weather was getting nice with the emergence of spring. He quickly changed into a pair of sweats and his Georgetown sweatshirt then headed out. He planned on running for about an hour: 30 minutes out and 30 minutes back. He wanted to be back home in time to fix a nice dinner for his tired overworked lover.

 

J. Edgar Hoover Building  
Late afternoon

Skinner removed his glasses and massaged the bridge of his nose. He had just finished reading Mulder and Scully's report. As always, it was interesting, if not a migraine-causing read. He stared at the pile of reports he still needed to read before he headed home. After glancing at his watch, he saw it was 4:55 PM. From the look of the pile, Skinner figured he wouldn't be finished for a few hours yet. He replaced his glasses and picked up another report, sighing loudly. He *should* have saved Mulder and Scully's report for last since he usually got a headache from it. He opened the folder and began to read, willing the agony behind his eyes to go away.

 

Crystal City  
Early evening

After a quick shower, Mulder began dinner. Since Skinner was a big meat and potato guy, he decided to prepare some steaks and baked potatoes, with fresh corn on the cob. Rocky Road ice cream for dessert would round out the meal. While the steaks were cooking, the potatoes were baking and the corn was boiling, Mulder decided to straighten up the living room. He had a bad habit of leaving research materials and sunflower seed shells all over the place so he went about cleaning it up. When he was done he glanced at his watch. It was almost 8. Skinner was later than usual but Mulder figured he would be home soon. Just as he was taking the done potatoes from the oven, he heard the front door shut. Mulder took the steaks out of the pan to let them rest and turned off the burner under the corn then rushed out to greet his lover.

Skinner was removing his coat as Mulder approached. Mulder helped him off with the coat and hung it up in the closet. Then he turned towards Skinner and wrapped his arms around him, giving him a passionate welcome home kiss. Skinner returned the kiss then moved out of his lover's embrace.

"Baby, I've been in this suit all day. I've got to get out of it," Skinner said, moving towards the stairs to their bedroom.

"Need any help?" Mulder asked grinning and wiggling his eyebrows.

"I'd love you to, but I'm starving and I smell something good coming from the kitchen. All I want to do right now is get out of these clothes, jump in the shower and get back down here," Skinner said as he ascended the stairs.

Mulder leaned against the back of a chair, folding his arms.

"I hope not mentioning putting on any clothes *after* your shower means you’ll be coming back down naked," Mulder grinned wider.

Skinner gave him a look. "You wish," he grinned back as he disappeared into the bedroom.

Mulder laughed out loud then went back into the kitchen.

Skinner came back down, obviously not naked. After his shower, he’d thrown on a worn pair of brown cords and a dark green sweatshirt, sans socks and shoes. When he got to the kitchen, Mulder had already set the table and was placing a couple of beers down.

"Hey, that was fast!" Mulder exclaimed.

"I told you I was starving," Skinner said, sitting at the table. "Is that steak I smell?" he asked, sniffing the air.

"Yep, with corn on the cob and baked potatoes," Mulder added, placing a bowl of steaming corn cobs on the table beside the foil wrapped potatoes.

Skinner glanced up at his lover. "Ca' mere'," he whispered.

Mulder looked at him then moved closer. When he was close enough, Skinner reached out and grabbed the back of Mulder's head and brought him down for a deep kiss. When he released him, Mulder was breathless and a little dizzy.

"What was that for?" Mulder asked, moving his tongue over his lower lip.

"Just because," Skinner said simply, then gave his lover a hard smack on the ass. "Now, go get them steaks," he ordered playfully.

Mulder rubbed his stinging buttock then grabbed a plate and placed two beautifully cooked steaks on it. He brought it back to the table then sat down with a little yelp.

"I didn't smack you that hard," Skinner said, jabbing a steak with a fork and dropping it on his plate.

"Ya' think so, huh," Mulder smirked as he jabbed the remaining steak.

"You know as well as anyone just how hard I *can* hit," Skinner remarked.

"Well, it's been a while since you've spanked me with your bare hand. If I remember correctly, you used your belt the last time," Mulder admitted, putting a potato on his plate.

Skinner was about to grab a potato when he found himself wincing from Mulder's statement. He would have rather forgotten about the last time he punished Mulder. Things didn't go exactly as he had planned. Skinner lowered his head and clenched his jaw. Mulder noticed his lover's sudden distress and immediately felt bad about making the remark.

"Walter, I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay," Skinner said, trying to disguise his feelings. "I guess Jake would know, huh?" he joked.

Mulder knew Skinner was trying to cover up his feelings about what happened that day. He didn't want to start anything, so Mulder just played along.

"Yeah, I guess he would," Mulder smiled, putting butter on his corn and potato. 

"Speaking of our nephew, I wonder how he's doin'? It's been a while since we've heard from him," Skinner commented.

"I don't think I had the chance to tell you but he called about a week ago when you were still at work," Mulder admitted.

"Really? So, how's he doin'?"

"Much better. He’s been working on changing his bad-ass attitude and Laurie is happy about it."

"I'm glad to hear that. I was beginning to regret getting him the boots and jacket," Skinner admitted, taking a bite of corn.

"I know what ya' mean. The last thing I wanted was to cause Jake any trouble, especially with his mom."

"Well, he's a good boy. I knew he would straighten himself out eventually."

"With a little painful help from his mom," Mulder smirked around a mouth full of steak.

"Yeah. Well, it's the only way she knows to keep him in line. I think she's doin' a great job," Skinner commented righteously.

"She is," Mulder nodded. "It's hard raising a teenage boy today."

"It's even harder raising a grown man," Skinner smirked, giving his lover a sideways glance.

Mulder gave Skinner his best glare then both men finished eating their meal and called it a night.

 

April 10  
Oregon  
Afternoon

Another week had passed. Now there was just a week to go before Spring Recess. Laurie was right - everyday since the time she had told him she had to think about letting him go visit his uncles, he was the perfect son. He kissed her each time he entered and left a room. He came home and immediately started his homework without being asked. When he wasn't doing his chores, he was asking if there was anything she wanted him to do. Yep, he really wanted her to let him go. After her son's wonderful behavior, Laurie would be hard pressed to not let him.

Jake was on his way to the Chem. lab when he noticed a few students decorating a bulletin board with paper flowers. It was to welcome the new season and announce the Spring Pageant, which was to be held at assembly the last day before recess. Jake sighed loudly as he walked by, thinking he only had a week to ask his uncles if he could come to visit them again and his mother still hadn't given him permission to go. He didn't believe his mother wouldn't let him go, especially after he'd been so good the entire week. Then he wondered if his uncles really wouldn't want him to come. Over the phone when he spoke to them, things seemed to be okay. But what if they were only *acting* nice? What if they really didn't want him to come back...ever? Jake wasn't sure of the answer but he knew if he waited until the last minute to ask, they might have made other plans. Then he definitely wouldn't be able to go. As he walked into the lab, Jake knew his mother would have to give him her answer tonight.

 

Crystal City  
Evening

For the fourth time this week, Skinner came home to an empty house. His agent --and lover-- was out with his partner working on their present case. Skinner knew all about it and was concerned for his agents. He knew they were extremely competent but this case involved some dangerous components. He knew how Mulder liked to take chances. He wasn't going to sign off on this one, but at Mulder's insistence changed his mind with the condition that Mulder call him at least once an hour. Skinner glanced at his watch. Mulder last called at 7:42 PM. He won't be calling again until almost 9 PM. During his last call, he said things were going well and they hoped to call it a night soon. 

Skinner dragged himself up the stairs to their bedroom. When his lover wasn't there to welcome him home, he always entered the house feeling old and tired. After taking a shower and pulling on a pair of sweats and an old tee, Skinner padded downstairs barefoot and headed for the kitchen. He had a late lunch at the office so he wasn't hungry, but he knew he had to fix something for Mulder. Usually Mulder wouldn’t eat very much when he was on a case and would arrive home ravenous. As he prepared a simple meal of leftover roast beef and soup, Skinner heard the front door open. He dropped what he was doing and immediately ran out the kitchen. He stopped short at the sight of his lover. Mulder looked a sight - his overcoat was filthy, not to mention the rest of him. When he turned from closing the door, Skinner saw his face and hair matched the rest of him. Mulder looked like a pitiful little street urchin, complete with doe eyes and pout. Skinner moved towards him with his arms open. Mulder backed up, holding up his hand.

"No, Walter, I'm filthy," he warned-- but Skinner ignored him.

"I've known that for years," Skinner grinned as he gave him a warm embrace. Mulder reluctantly melted into it, closing his eyes and sighing loudly. After a few minutes, Skinner broke the embrace and grabbed his lover by the hand.

"Come on, let's get you in the tub," he said. Mulder happily allowed himself to be taken upstairs to the bathroom, stripped and submerged into a hot tub of water. As his tired battered body was disappearing beneath the water, Mulder let out a loud moan. Skinner looked down and smiled.

"So-- what on earth happened?" 

"I was chasing the suspect and he led me to this park. It rained last night so the ground was muddy. At one point, I thought I was going to catch him and took a flying leap at him and...missed," Mulder recalled, embarrassed.

Skinner couldn't help but chuckle, which earned him a glare.

"I'm sorry for laughing. Did you hurt yourself?" Skinner asked, visually checking Mulder's body for bruises.

"No. Mud's soft," Mulder declared, closing his eyes.

Skinner smiled to himself then walked towards the bathroom door.

"I'll give ya' 30 minutes then I'll be back to scrub you down," he said.

Mulder's eyes were still closed as he dreamily nodded and sank further in the tub. Skinner left to finish preparing Mulder's sandwich and soup. After a half hour, he was back to wash his lover and discovered Mulder had fallen asleep in the tub. Skinner carefully knelt by the tub and grabbed the sponge. While trying not to wake Mulder, he began to wash him. The water wasn't very hot anymore, so Skinner turned on the hot water to warm up the tub. As the water became warmer, Mulder began to stir, moaning and wetting his lips. It was then Skinner noticed Mulder's hand was grasping his now hard cock beneath the water. With his eyes still closed, Mulder began to fist himself. Skinner watched, realizing Mulder had no idea he was even there. Apparently, Mulder had fallen asleep while he was masturbating and now woke up to finish himself off. Skinner wondered whether he should leave his lover to himself but decided not to and dipped his finger in the water to see if it was hot enough. After seeing it was, he turned off the water then sat down on the toilet to watch the rest of his lover's performance.

Mulder's hand was now a piston as it moved on his cock. The water was shifting rapidly like a tiny storm was brewing in the tub. Mulder's chest was heaving and his mouth was gasping for air. Suddenly, Mulder bit down on his lower lip, squeezing his eyes shut. Skinner knew this meant he was on the verge of cumming. Skinner's eyes went immediately to the tip of Mulder's cock. He realized he had never seen a cock spew its load under water before. The head of his cock was poking up through the surface of the water from time to time but when Mulder finally came, his semen squirted into the water. Skinner watched as the milky liquid floated on top of his lover's bath water. Mulder released his limp cock and brought his hand up to his head, smoothing back his damp hair. Suddenly his eyes popped opened. He sensed he wasn't alone. He glanced over at his lover who was grinning from the toilet seat. Mulder sat up, slightly embarrassed.

"You've been there the whole time?" Mulder asked.

Skinner just nodded, still grinning at his adorably mortified lover. Mulder hung his head and began to chuckle.

"Well, did you enjoy the show at least?"

"Yes, I did," Skinner said, getting up from the toilet and kneeling beside the tub. "Now, are you ready for your scrub down?" 

Mulder watched as his lover dipped the sponge into his bath water.

"Whoa, wait a minute! Aren't you going to get rid of this water?" Mulder exclaimed, taking Skinner's hand out of the water.

Skinner looked at him for a second then looked at the water. He realized Mulder didn't like the idea of being washed with his own semen.

"Sure, if you want," Skinner replied, flipping the lever to allow the water to flow down the drain. As the water began to disappear from the tub, Mulder sat there drawing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around his legs. He could feel a chill coming on. Skinner noticed his lover was shivering a little. He turned on the hot water while the water was still going down he drain.

"Walter, all the water hasn't gone down yet," Mulder said, reaching to turn off the hot water.

"Fox, you're cold - the hot water would get the chill off you."

"I'm okay. I just want all that...crap to go down the drain," Mulder remarked through chattering teeth.

Skinner frowned at Mulder, shaking his head.

"You would think that *crap* didn't come from your own body," Skinner chuckled.

"Well, there are a lot of things that come from my own body I would rather not bathe in, thank you very much." He paused a moment before continuing. "Actual *crap* being one of them," Mulder finished, turning the hot water back on after seeing the tub was divested of water and any of his remaining body fluids. 

Skinner frowned at him again then dipped the sponge in the water and dragged it over his lover's back. Once Mulder was wet, he began to lather him up with soap. Mulder just sat back and enjoyed his sponge bath, his eyes closed and a content smile on his face.

"You've got nothing on those nurses down at the hospital. Compared to you, they don't know what a sponge bath is," Mulder moaned in apparent ecstasy.

"I take that to mean you're enjoying this," Skinner said, continuing to gently scrub his lover.

"Ohhhh yeeeaaahhhh," Mulder groaned.

At that moment, Skinner noticed Mulder's cock was coming to life again beneath the water and he hadn't even gotten near it with the sponge.

"Fox, your dinner is waiting for you in the kitchen. Don't you think it's time to get out of the tub?" Skinner asked, dropping the sponge in the water and standing up.

Mulder opened his eyes and glanced up at his lover.

"Walter, just a little while longer...pleeease," he whined. "I don't think I'm clean yet."

Skinner smirked at him. 

"I don't think a bath is going to be enough to get you clean, you dirty boy. Now, get out of the tub before you turn into a big prune," Skinner ordered, drying his hands, then walking towards the door.

"But Walter...look," he pouted, glancing down at his now full-fledged erection which was poking up through the water.

"You want me to take care of that for you?" Skinner asked, moving back to the tub.

Mulder nodded, giving him his best puppy dog eyes.

"Okay, I'll take care of it," Skinner said as he turned on the cold water and pulled the lever for the shower to come out. In seconds, cold water was raining down on Mulder. Skinner calmly left the bathroom as Mulder yelled and screamed then jumped out of the tub. As Skinner walked down the hall towards the stairs, he could hear his lover calling him every name under the sun. He chuckled to himself as he went downstairs to reheat the soup.

Skinner was placing the sandwich on a plate when Mulder appeared in the doorway. He had on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt and was drying his hair with a towel. He wrapped the towel around his neck then leaned against the door frame.

"I should put you across my knee for that," Mulder threatened, gripping the ends of the towel.

Skinner stopped what he was doing and turned towards his lover. Mulder had a dangerous look in his eyes as he stood watching Skinner.

"Ya' think so, huh?" Skinner asked calmly.

Mulder leaned away from the door frame and walked towards his lover.

"Yeah, I think so! Do you know how cold that freakin' water was?!" Mulder exclaimed, getting angrier by the second.

Skinner moved to the stove and began to place soup into two bowls as he spoke: "I know it was cold Fox, but you brought it on yourself."

"I brought it on myself? How so?" Mulder asked irately.

Skinner placed the full bowls on the table then sat down.

"Fox, sit and eat."

"No, I want you to answer my question first. How did I cause you to do what you did?" Mulder asked folding his arms and refusing to sit.

Skinner looked up at him, sighing. "Fox, I had to do something to get you out of the tub," he said simply.

"You couldn't just pull me out? Did you have to freeze my ass off?"

"You were acting like a big baby. I gave you what you deserved. Now sit down and eat before your soup gets cold."

Mulder glared at him then sat down heavily. He glanced at the soup and sandwich laid before him, continuing to pout. Skinner had begun eating his soup.

"Where's your sandwich?" Mulder asked, his nasty attitude still intact.

"I had a late lunch. I'm not that hungry."

Mulder was really hungry but he just couldn't get himself to give in and start eating. He was still angry with Skinner and wanted to wallow in it for a little while longer. Skinner glared at him as he ate his soup. Mulder was still sitting there pouting and not eating. Skinner knew Mulder was hungry but was just being obstinate.

"Fox, are you going to eat or should I throw it out?" Skinner threatened.

Mulder continued to sit without moving. Suddenly Skinner reached for his plate and Mulder immediately sat up, pulling the plate away.

"I really hate you sometimes," Mulder said with clenched teeth, then took a huge bit out of his sandwich.

"I know," Skinner remarked calmly.

"Why do you have to be such an ass sometimes?"

Without a pause Skinner answered, "Because you're such a brat sometimes." He gave Mulder a tiny adorable smile before taking another spoonful of soup.

Mulder found he couldn't stay mad at that face, so he returned the smile. Besides, he knew Skinner was right. He could be a real brat on occasion and he knew he was being one in the tub earlier.

"If you still think I should be spanked for what I did, then do it," Skinner admitted, turning suddenly serious.

Mulder slurped some soup from the spoon then looked at his lover.

"Maybe later," he said. After a few beats--with an evil gleam in his eye-- he added, "Or maybe I'll have at that ass in another way."

Skinner's eyes narrowed. He grinned broadly. Mulder loved it when he could get his lover to laugh or grin. Skinner did it so rarely and when he did his whole being lit up, not to mention the warm glow that radiated in Mulder's groin.

Later that evening, Skinner was lying on the couch reading his latest novel when Mulder came into the living room. Skinner looked up at him then sat up, removing his glasses.

"So, you ready to have at my ass now?" Skinner asked with a hint of anxiousness.

"In a minute -- Isn't Spring Break next week?" Mulder asked with concern.

"Yeah so? You planning on going to Florida or something?" Skinner asked, swinging his legs to the floor. 

"Of course not. I was just thinking about Jake. Doesn't he have like a week off? I remember getting something like that in the spring when I was in school."

"Probably-- why?"

"Well, I was just wondering what he was doing. Maybe we could invite him to come here again," Mulder suggested.

"That would be nice, Fox-- but do you really think he'd want to come back after what happened last time?"

"When I spoke with him on the phone about missing the bike show, he sounded like he was sorry he couldn't come."

"Maybe he was just being nice. Besides-- I'm quite sure his mom isn't going to let him," Skinner said with confidence.

"How do you know that?"

"Fox, I know my sister. She doesn't forgive so quickly. Anyway, I think Jake would rather hang out with friends his own age rather than with his two old uncles."

Mulder made a face at that remark.

"Speak for yourself, baldy. I know Jake had a great time with us-- except for ‘you know what’. I miss him. I think we should ask him if he'd like to come over."

Skinner shrugged. "Fine, whatever you want."

"Good," Mulder smiled, "I'll call tomorrow when I get home." 

Mulder moved towards the recliner and sat back, spreading his legs wide.

"Now, come over here," he ordered with an evil glint in his eye.

Skinner knew what was coming and got up to stand in front of his lover with his head bowed.

"You deserve a spanking, don't you?" Mulder asked meekly.

Skinner nodded.

"Answer me, Walter," he ordered with more conviction.

"Yes...Sir," Skinner replied lifting his eyes to look at his lover.

"That's a good boy. You weren't very good when you turned on the cold water while I was in the tub, were you?"

"No, Sir," Skinner answered keeping his eyes down this time.

"And you weren't a good boy when you called me old a moment ago, were you?"

Skinner looked up, surprise covering his face. He had no idea he'd be called on that one, too. He opened his mouth to make a comment but decided not to and simply answered, lowering his head again...

"No, Sir."

"So-- for both of those transgressions I will be punishing you twice as much. Take your pants down," Mulder ordered, rubbing his hands together.

Skinner couldn't help but swallow hard as he lowered his pants to his ankles. He thought his butt was going to get some erotic attention but from what Mulder just said, now he wasn't so sure. Skinner stood before his lover naked from the waist down. He had a slight erection from the thrill of not knowing what was going to happen to him.

"Lay across my knees," Mulder commanded, patting his thighs.

Skinner got down on his knees and maneuvered himself across his lover’s lap. His chest was lying on the armrest while his hips and groin were on Mulder's strong thighs. Mulder moved Skinner so his cock was hanging between his knees then spread Skinner's legs so one was bent. This position gave him full access to his lover’s entire derriere and thighs as well as the underside of his balls and cock.

"Comfy?"

"Yes, Sir."

Mulder laid back in the chair, stretching out his long legs then he began to lazily caress each of Skinner's firm ass cheeks. Mulder gently massaged the muscled flesh then suddenly grabbed it, squeezing hard. He was rewarded with a low grunt so he did the same to the other cheek, which got the same response. Now two almost identical grip marks had formed on his lover's pristine buttocks. After his lips formed a sinister smile, Mulder slowly slid his index finger down the butt crack, pausing at the hole for a second then moving on to the balls. He tickled the tender flesh there, quickly moving his fingers over the heavy sacs, causing them to jiggle a bit. Skinner was moaning softly then suddenly took in a sharp gasp of air as he felt Mulder pinch the skin at the base of his scrotum. Mulder then laid his hand on Skinner's right buttock.

"Why am I about to spank you, Walter?"

It took Skinner a moment to process the question.

"Because I turned cold water on you in the tub and I called you old...Sir."

"Am I old Walter?"

"No, you're not, Sir."

"Are you old?"

Skinner took a few seconds too many to answer the question, which earned him a sharp smack.

"No, Sir, I'm not old," Skinner answered quickly.

"I'm not sure I believe you but I'll deal with that at another time." 

Mulder gave his buttock a hard smack, causing his tough lover to grunt. Mulder was obviously putting all he had into that smack. Skinner prayed Mulder didn't want to give him too many of those. Another hard one came down on his other cheek, but Skinner was prepared that time and didn't make much of a sound. Mulder looked down at his handy work. There were two large red hand prints donning each of his lover's cheeks.

"One for each transgression," Mulder whispered. "Now the fun begins."

Mulder began to suck his index finger, making it good and wet. Then he exposed Skinner's asshole with the fingers of his other hand. He slowly inserted his finger into the tiny puckered hole. Skinner began to buck his hips into Mulder's thighs. As more of Mulder's finger disappeared into the narrow canal, Skinner began to groan and spread his legs wider, which wasn't easy with his pants trapping his ankles. Mulder knew there wasn't much lubrication here so he tried to go slow but Skinner wasn't having it. He arched his butt in the air, which was a sign Mulder was to go faster and harder. He gently began to thrust his finger deeper and faster, but Walter was so tight and dry it made that difficult.

"Walter, I'm going to have to stop and get the lube," Mulder announced as he slid his finger from his lover.

"NO!" Skinner roared. "I don't need any. Please, Fox--just do it," he said, forcing calm into his voice.

Mulder looked down at his pleading lover and his quivering ass. Once again he exposed his anus and saw it looked even drier than before. Regardless of what Skinner said, he didn't feel comfortable with finger fucking him dry, so he did what most people would do in this desperate situation: He positioned his mouth over Skinner's rectum then spit saliva into the small hole. Mulder eased his finger back inside and began to thrust deep and hard.

"Man, that's good. Another one, Fox, please," Skinner groaned.

Mulder frowned at Skinner's request but decided to grant it anyway. He slid his index finger out to the nail then pushed in another finger. He tried his best to slide them in without tearing.

"You are going to be so fucking sore in the morning," Mulder acknowledged as he continued to force his fingers deep into his lover.

"I don't care. It's about now. I...want...it...now," Skinner grunted out.

"And you're gonna' get it now." With that remark, Mulder moved his fingers in and out of Skinner's tight opening. Skinner was gripping the arm of the chair with one hand and clawing the rug with the other. He also seemed to be growling as he felt himself getting closer to release. Mulder sensed it, too. He moved his other hand to Skinner's sac and rock hard penis. He began to alternate between fondling the balls and squeezing the cock while he was still finger fucking him. It didn't take long for Skinner to cum under this magnificent handy work. Skinner came with a loud growl, spewing over Mulder's hand and the rug.

For a few seconds, Skinner laid across his lover's thighs, trying to catch his breath. Mulder's hand was soothingly moving over his ass and upper back.

"Was that good, baby?" Mulder asked, leaning down to place tiny kisses all over Skinner's back.

"Hell yeah!" Skinner exclaimed sliding down to the floor. As his butt made contact with the rug, he winced. Mulder noticed it.

"Sore, aren't ya'?" he asked, helping Skinner into a more comfortable position.

"A little, but man-- was it worth it! Thank you, Fox," Skinner whispered as he knelt beside the chair, placing his head on Mulder's lap. Mulder caressed the naked scalp then kissed the side of Skinner's face.

"You're very welcome, baby," Mulder said, lifting Skinner's head and kissing him passionately. "I think we have both earned ourselves a good night’s sleep, don't ya' think?" Mulder suggested.

"Oh yeah," Skinner sighed, getting himself to his feet and adjusting his clothes. Then he stiffly moved towards the stairs. Mulder looked on with concern.

"You okay?"

"Yeah -- I'll be fine," Skinner groaned as he made his way up the stairs. Mulder wasn't too far behind. 

Just before they drifted off, Mulder put some Preparation H into Skinner's ass to sooth the burning and pain his fingers caused, ignoring his protests. Then they both laid in each other's arms and fell asleep.

 

Oregon  
Evening

After dinner, Laurie noticed how quiet her son was. He hadn't eaten much. She knew exactly what was wrong. After clearing the table-- with Jake’s help-- Laurie sat him down on the couch in the living room for a talk.

"Jake, I’ve decided to let you go visit your uncles-- under one condition."

Jake looked at his mother suspiciously. "What?"

"I have to go with you," she said firmly.

Jake made a face then looked at his mother's stern expression. He knew there was no getting around it. If he wanted to see his uncles she was going with him --like it or not--and since he really wanted to see his uncles...

"Whatever, mom -- Can I call them now?" Jake asked, accepting his mother's condition.

"It can wait until tomorrow when you get home from school. Now, go upstairs and finish reading that chapter," she ordered.

"Yes, mom," Jake said, turning away then coming back. "Mom, couldn't I call them before I leave for school? "Jake proposed. “I don't want them to make other plans.”

Laurie thought about it for a moment then nodded. "All right Jake, call them in the morning-- but I don't want it to make you late for school," she warned.

"It won't, mom," he said then leaned down and kissed his mother on the cheek. "Thanks for letting me go," he said then bolted up the steps.

"Jake!" she called after him. Jake came back into view.

"What?"

"Don't tell your uncles I'm coming with you. I want it to be a surprise," she smiled.

Jake shrugged. "Whatever mom," he said then disappeared into his room.

 

April 11  
Crystal City  
Early morning

Mulder woke up and glanced at the clock. It was 6:04 AM. Then glanced over at his still sleeping lover. After watching him sleep for a few seconds, he stared at the ceiling until he couldn't take it any longer. He eased out from under his lover's arm and went to the bathroom to relieve himself. When he came out, he wondered if it was too early to call Jake. He decided to wait until a little later, so he went down to the kitchen to make some coffee. 

After sitting down and drinking a cup, Mulder realized a half and hour had passed. He decided to phone Jake. Just as he was reaching for the receiver, the phone rang and Mulder grabbed it.

"Mulder."

"Hey, Uncle Fox, it's Jake!"

"Jake! I was just about to call you," Mulder admitted grinning into the phone.

"Really? About what?"

"Well, you have some time off from school coming up, don't you? Spring Recess?" Mulder asked.

"Yeah, I do. That's what I was calling you about. I was wondering if I could come over."

Mulder chuckled into the phone.

"Jake, I was going to invite *you* to come over."

Both of them shared a laugh over this then Mulder asked, "How long do you have off?"

"From April 17th to the 25th," Jake answered.

"That's great! You can come down on the 17th and stay until the 25th...that's-- of course-- if it's okay with your mom. Did you tell her you wanted to come back to visit us?" Mulder asked, realizing he was making all these plans without thinking about Laurie.

"Oh, she knows. She said it was okay for me to call you this morning to ask you. Is this okay with Uncle Walt?"

"Of course. We talked about it last night. He's looking forward to seeing you again."

"I can't wait to see you guys again, too."

Just then Laurie came into the kitchen where Jake was making the call and glared at him. Jake knew exactly what that meant.

"Uncle Fox, I've got to go." In the background, Laurie was shouting for Jake to say she would call Skinner later.

"Mom said she's going to call Uncle Walt later," Jake relayed.

"I heard her. Tell her okay. I'll talk to you later too, Jake. Bye."

 

Oregon

"Bye." Jake hung up the phone then turned to his mother. "He said he'd tell Uncle Walt you'll call him later."

"Fine, now get ready for school."

"Okay," Jake said, turning away then turning back. "Mom, you're still not going to tell them you're coming with me?"

"That's right. I told you I want to surprise them."

"But don't you think they should know you're coming so they can prepare for you?" Jake asked, knowing his uncles would rather know ahead of time his mother was coming.

"It won't be a big deal. Now, don't worry about it anymore."

Jake shrugged. He knew that was his last try to get his mother to announce her visit. He thought about calling and telling them himself-- then tell them not to say a word to his mother-- but with his luck she would find out and his ass would be grass. No, they would just have to be surprised to see her at the airport.

 

Crystal City

As Mulder hung up the phone, Skinner appeared in the kitchen. He went straight for the coffee.

"Was that Jake?" Skinner asked, taking a sip of the hot black brew.

"Yeah. He jumped the gun and called me first. He wanted to ask if he could come over. See? I told you he wanted to come," Mulder remarked.

"Did he ask Laurie first?"

"Yeah. She said she was going to call you later. I guess she wants to discuss things."

"How long does he have off from school?"

"From April 17th to the 25th -- almost two weeks. I told him he could stay the entire time. Is that okay?"

"Sure. We should plan something for him to do -- all *three* of us," Skinner added, giving his lover a warning glance. Mulder smiled, nodded then got up from the kitchen table.

"I should get in the shower. I told Scully I was going to meet her early to discuss the new evidence on this case."

"How's it going?"

"Slower than I'd like. I'm hoping this new evidence will help."

"Keep me posted," Skinner said in his AD voice.

Mulder nodded and left the kitchen while Skinner finished his coffee.

 

Crystal City  
Later that evening

Mulder was lying on the couch reading some files concerning his present case. Skinner was in the den on the computer, working on some reports-- when the phone rang. Mulder sat up to answer it when he heard Skinner yell from the den that he’d gotten it. Mulder figured it must be Laurie. He settled himself back down on the couch. He wanted so much to pick up the phone and eavesdrop, but he knew Skinner would have his ass for it so he waited anxiously hoping it wouldn't be a long conversation.

"Skinner."

"Hey, big bro, how's it goin'?" Laurie asked enthusiastically.

"Laurie-- I'm doin' okay. Fox told me you were going to call."

"Did he also tell you Jake wants to come visit you two again?"

"Yeah-- and it's fine with us if it's okay with you."

"Yeah, it's fine. I already told him it was okay with me. I just wanted to talk to you about it."

"He told Fox he was off from April 17th to the 25th so if he wants to stay with us the entire time, it's fine."

"That sounds good. I'll make the airline reservations and get back to you."

"Okay, so what will you be up to while he's away?" Skinner inquired, knowing he was being nosy.

"I haven't decided yet -- maybe I'll take that trip around the world I've been meaning to do," she answered, sarcastically playful.

"You'll never do it in 9 days," Skinner commented, mocking seriousness.

"How would you know? When was the last time you took a trip?"

Skinner thought about it and realized it had been a long time since he went anywhere.

"I can't remember," he answered solemnly.

"No wonder Fox was so anxious to take my boy out of the state. You really need to take Fox on a nice vacation. It would do you both a world of good," Laurie suggested in a motherly tone.

"Yeah, that would be nice-- if I could get the time off."

"You're taking off while Jake is there, aren't you?

"Well, to be honest, I'm only going to be able to take a few days. Fox will be able to take off more days, so he'll be with him the entire time -- and before you start, I know what you're thinking. Fox isn't going to do anything with Jake without my permission this time. I won't let him do anything without your permission either," Skinner said resolutely. 

"I wasn't thinking anything. I know everything will be fine this time," Laurie said calmly and somewhat resolutely herself.

Skinner was a bit surprised at the certainty in his sister's voice but was happy she had such confidence in him.

"It will. Look sis-- I've got some reports I need to finish for tomorrow so I've got to go," Skinner admitted sorrowfully.

"Okay. I've got some stuff to do, too. I'll call you with Jake’s flight info."

"Great-- and tell Jake I'm sorry I couldn't talk to him."

"He's not here anyway. He's at a friend's house," she told him.

"On a school night -- I think you're softening up in your old age," Skinner teased.

"No chance -- he's there studying for a test tomorrow," she assured him.

"Oh. Okay, talk to ya' later."

"Will do-- and give all my love to your gorgeous Fox."

"He couldn't handle all of your love, so I'll just give him a little," he grinned, then said good-bye.

"Bye," she said laughing, then hung up the phone.

Laurie sat for a few minutes, thinking about the conversation she had with her brother and how confident she felt that this time he would take care of things better. She smiled to herself then said aloud, "Damn straight--everything's going to be fine this time -- I'm going to make sure of it myself."

When Skinner hung up the phone, Mulder was standing in the doorway ready to hear what happened. "So, what did she say?"

"Nothing really. She said she's going to let Jake come for his entire vacation," Skinner reported, going back to his work on the computer.

"What are all the conditions of his visit?" Mulder asked, leaning against the door frame with his arms folded.

"She didn't really give any. I told her that I--I mean, we-- will make sure everything goes fine this time. She seemed confident it would," Skinner said, as a matter of fact.

Mulder frowned, not completely comprehending what Skinner was telling him. He leaned off the wall and came to stand in front of Skinner's desk with his hands on his hips.

"Okay, I know I don't know your sister as well as you do, but I can't believe she's just accepting things so easily, especially after what happened last time."

Skinner kept his eyes on the screen as he spoke. "It does seem a little odd of her but I don't think we should go looking for trouble. If she's okay with things, I say we should count our blessings."

Mulder's eyes narrowed then he sighed loudly. "Okay-- but I think something's up. You sure she didn't say anything else?" Mulder pressed.

"Just that she was going to call to give us Jake's flight info as soon as she makes the reservation. Now-- I've got to get back to this report."

Mulder stood motionless for a moment then nodded as he walked out the den and back downstairs. He sat on the couch, trying to figure out Laurie's attitude. It didn't seem to make sense considering what he knew of her personality. Mulder decided he didn't need a headache right now so he let it go and went back to his files. Whatever the situation was to be it would work itself out in time.

 

Continued in Chapter Eight


	8. The Unexpected Guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys are looking forward to having Jake visit them again but are unaware that he isn't coming alone.

Laurie called the next day, giving her brother Jake's flight info. He was to arrive on April 17 at 8:55 AM. Mulder and Skinner were to meet him at the gate. They had a few days to get ready for their nephew's return. Skinner prepared the guest room with fresh bed linens while Mulder went food shopping for some of Jake's favorite foods. When Mulder returned from the store, Skinner was coming down the stairs.

"Did they have the lime chips?" Skinner asked as he gave his lover a welcoming kiss.

"Yeah, and I got the mild salsa that he likes, too," Mulder announced, holding up the jar of salsa.

"Good. Oh-- did you get anything to drink?" Skinner asked, taking some of the groceries into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I got Bacardi Silvers for us and Mountain Dew for him," Mulder said as he placed said items on the table.

Both men went about putting away the groceries. When they were done, Mulder turned and leaned back against the counter.

"I'm really glad Jake's coming back," he said, smiling.

Skinner closed the cabinet and turned to Mulder.

"Yeah. Me, too. Have you thought of something we all could do together?"

"Well, I know during the week you'll be at work so I've been thinking about something for the weekend. Maybe we could go up to the cabin. I think Jake might enjoy some canoeing," Mulder suggested.

"Fox, we haven't been to the cabin in months -- almost a year. We won't have the time to get it ready for us to live in."

"Yeah, you're right," Mulder admitted dejectedly. "Do you think we could go somewhere else?" 

Skinner suddenly remembered the conversation he had with her sister about not taking Mulder anywhere. Apparently, Mulder wanted them to go on a trip together. Skinner smiled, moving towards his lover and embracing him.

"Where would you like us to go, babe?" Skinner asked, holding Mulder tight and rocking him.

"I get to chose where we go?" Mulder mumbled into Skinner's shoulder.

"Yes, baby. So-- where's it gonna' be-- and keep in mind we only have a weekend," Skinner warned.

Mulder broke the embrace and walked over to the window, deep in thought. Skinner stood back and watched as his lover contemplated their adventure. After a few minutes, Mulder walked back to Skinner, chewing on a finger nail.

"I'll be right back. I want to check something on-line," Mulder said, then dashed out of the kitchen.

Skinner went out to the living room and waited for Mulder to return. He grabbed the newspaper and began reading. He opened the "Arts and Leisure" section and browsed through the “What's Doin' In And Around DC” pages, just in case Mulder came up empty. Just when Skinner noticed something that looked interesting, Mulder bounded back down the stairs with a sheet of paper in his hand.

"Walter, I've got it! Take a look at this," Mulder exclaimed, handing Skinner the printed paper. Skinner glanced at it and began to laugh. Mulder looked a bit puzzled at his lover's reaction.

"What's so funny?"

Skinner simply held up the page of the newspaper he was looking at. It was the same ad Mulder had just printed out.

"So, you were thinking about us going to the convention too?" Mulder asked.

"Yeah, but only if you couldn't think of a place," Skinner admitted.

"You actually wouldn't mind going to a science fiction convention?" Mulder asked, somewhat surprised.

"No, I wouldn't."

"But I remember you saying you weren't into science fiction and all the people who were are nerds and computer geeks."

"Well, that was before I started getting into shows like "Buffy" and "Smallville". And if you knew I didn't like science fiction, why would you chose for us to go to a science fiction convention?" Skinner asked.

"I knew I would love going and Jake would also enjoy it. I figured two out of three wasn't so bad," Mulder grinned. "Besides, Sarah Michelle Gellar - Buffy herself - will be there. I figured since you have this big crush on her and all..."

Skinner narrowed his eyes at his lover, then smiled, glancing back at the ad.

"I don't know about *crush*, but she's a good little actress," Skinner said, trying to avoid blushing.

"Yeah, a good little actress with a cute little bod," Mulder teased.

"Are you forgetting I'm a gay man?" Skinner asked, the tips of his ears growing redder and redder.

"So, you can be gay and still have crushes on the opposite sex?"

"Like that crush you had on Willow?"

"Right, but now it's Spike. Now *that's* a cute little bod," Mulder gushed to make Skinner jealous.

"I thought you were only into big tops," Skinner said, apparently falling for Mulder's tease.

Mulder came to sit on the couch and wrapped his arms around *his* big top.

"Oh, I am, baby-- but a guy can have a little fantasy every now and then, can't he?" Mulder inquired, nibbling on a flushed earlobe.

Skinner moaned and shut his eyes, nodding his agreement. After a few more minutes of passionate necking, Skinner brought them back to the subject at hand. He picked up the ad again.

"It's a three day con, from April 19th to the 21st. Fox, you've been to these things before-- is it worth it to go all three days?"

"Well-- yeah. Usually they have different events every day. It says here Sarah Michelle Gellar will be there only on Sunday."

"So we can go just Sunday."

"But Walter-- things are happening on the other days that I think Jake might enjoy-- like the Lucas Films exhibit on Saturday. Besides, do you have anything else in mind to do on Friday and Saturday?"

"No, I don't. I just don't want Jake to get bored with going to a con the whole weekend."

"You can't really get bored at these things. There's always something to see and do, plus there's the dealer’s room to hang out in," Mulder said with a gleam in his eye.

"Yeah and this time you are going to have a spending limit. You're not coming back here having spent almost your entire pay check in the dealer’s room," Skinner said adamantly.

Mulder winced at the memory of that. He went to a convention a few years ago and had spent way too much money. Skinner was really pissed at him and took it out on his hind quarters.

"Well, there shouldn't be any problem with that since you're coming with me this time," Mulder stated confidently.

"And I'm not letting you out of my sight. Now, is it too late to order the tickets?"

"No, not if I do it right now online. Can I use your credit card? Mine is sorta' tapped," Mulder admitted as he moved over to the computer and booted it up.

Skinner glared at him, then got his wallet and gave him a credit card. He watched as Mulder purchased three memberships for 'QuestCon', which was being held at the Hyatt Hotel in DC. Mulder printed out the confirmation, then shut down the computer.

"All done," he said, handing the sheet to Skinner. "They said we should present this at the registration desk to get our badges."

Skinner glanced at the sheet, then folded it into his wallet. 

"Okay. I hope this is something Jake will enjoy."

"Oh, I'm sure of it. Besides, he's a big "Buffy" fan, too, and I know he'll like the chance to see Buffy in person. The two of you can drool together while you're standing in line to get her autograph," Mulder teased as he jumped back-- in case Skinner wanted to give him a smack on his ass.

"She's going to be signing?" Skinner asked eagerly with bright chocolate brown eyes.

 

Dulles International Airport  
Waiting Area

Finally, April 17 arrived. Mulder and Skinner got to the airport 30 minutes early, in case Jake's plane was ahead of schedule. They both were anxious for their nephew's arrival. Mulder was pacing and checking his watch every couple of minutes. Skinner was trying to look patient by staying seated, but every few minutes one of his knees would shake. After looking at his watch for the umpteenth time, Mulder stopped pacing and stood in front of his lover.

"His plane is late," he announced with annoyance.

"Fox, stop worrying. I'm sure it'll be landing very soon," Skinner reassured.

Right after Skinner said that, they noticed some people were entering the terminal.

"See, I told you," Skinner said as he searched the emerging crowd for Jake. Mulder began to look too, wondering if Jake would have changed much in a few months.

"Hey Walter, this reminds me of the last time we were here searching the crowd for Jake. I was so nervous then because I had never met him before."

"I remember -- you were a wreck," Skinner smiled remembering the day.

"Yeah, I was. Now I'm just anxious to see him again," Mulder admitted, looking ardently at the passengers leaving the plane.

Suddenly the smile on Skinner's face disappeared and his face became pale.

"It can't be," he muttered, as if in a daze. Mulder glanced at him with concern.

"Walter, what's the matter?"

Skinner just kept staring, his chestnut eyes wide with what looked like -- *shock*. Mulder followed his lover's gaze -- his eyes finally came to rest on a familiar shaggy brown head. Then his gaze came to rest on another individual who was following close behind. It was a tall woman, standing about 5 foot 8 inches with wavy shoulder length auburn hair. She had a medium frame that was lean and shapely. She carried herself with confidence and determination.

"Laurie," Mulder whispered in amazement. It had been a while since he'd seen his sister-in-law, but he would know her anywhere. She did resemble her brother a great deal, especially in the deep brown eyes that hid behind wire rimmed glasses.

Both men stood and stared at the individual coming closer and closer into view. Jake saw his uncles and began to wave furiously as he moved quickly towards them. Laurie was right behind him. Mulder and Skinner gave each other a bewildered glance, then turned to watch Jake approach them with arms wide open. He embraced both men at the same time, wrapping an arm around each of them.

"Guys, I'm so glad to see you again!" Jake exclaimed.

As they hugged him back, they couldn't help looking beyond to his mother as she approached the scene. Skinner broke the embrace to confront his sister.

"Laurie, I didn't know you were coming with Jake," he said, giving her an affectionate hug.

Mulder and Jake stood watching the encounter. Skinner released his sister, so Mulder could get the chance to welcome her.

"Laurie, it's good to see you," Mulder said, not really thinking it was such a good thing to see her at that moment. He gave her an equally affectionate hug and kiss on the cheek.

"I wanted it to be a surprise. So, are you surprised?" She asked with a gleam in her eye.

"Oh yeah," they replied in unison. Then Skinner looked over at his nephew.

"Jake, why didn't you tell us your mother was coming with you?" Skinner asked with a hint of exasperation.

Jake looked worriedly at his mother, then bit on his lower lip.

"She told me not to tell. She wanted it to be a surprise," he admitted pensively.

Mulder watched the uncomfortable exchange between his lover and family, then decided to intervene.

"Hey, I'm sure Laurie and Jake are tired from their trip. Why don't we get out of here," Mulder said, taking Laurie's carry-on from her and walking towards the baggage claim area. Jake quickly followed behind him, relieved to get away from the situation. Skinner looked down at his sister, then placed a hand on her shoulder and walked her behind them.

Once they all got to the house, Mulder and Jake carried the bags up to the guest room. Skinner busied himself with putting away their coats. Laurie wandered into the living room, walking around looking at photographs. She stopped at a photo of herself and Skinner as children. She took it from the shelf.

"Walter, you kept this picture of us?" Laurie said, smiling fondly at the photo.

Skinner shut the closet door, then walked over to his sister. He glanced at the picture.

"That's my favorite of the two of us. What were we -- 6 and 13?"

"Yeah, I think you're right. It was the summer we went to Grandpa Al's farm," she said, then suddenly laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"I was remembering when Uncle Al taught you to milk Elsie-- and when she released her milk, it squirted you dead in the face," Laurie said, continuing to laugh.

"That cow never did like me," Skinner admitted sourly.

Laurie replaced the photo and picked up another. It was of Skinner and Mulder. In the photo, they were embracing one another, both very wet and apparently laughing hysterically at something.

"Where was this taken?" she asked, showing him the photo.

"Oh, that was the first time Fox and I went away together. We were at a water park-- at his insistence. We’d just come out of this ride that shoots you out like a cannon. Fox shot out first and when it was my turn, I almost landed on top of him. When he was helping me up, someone from the park snapped the picture. They of course sold it to us, but it was worth it to have. We had a lot of fun that day," Skinner recalled, a sweet smile on his face.

Laurie watched her brother for a moment before replacing the photo on the shelf.

"He really makes you happy, doesn't he?"

"Yes, very much," Skinner replied, flushing a little.

"I can tell. I prayed you'd find someone who could make you stop being so surly and get you to smile once in a while. I'm very happy for you," she said, hugging him close. He hugged her back and gave her a tiny kiss on the head, then whispered, *thanks*. 

Meanwhile, Mulder and Jake were still in the guest room. Mulder was trying to prepare the room for two occupants.

"Jake, I hope you don't mind sharing the room with your mom," Mulder said, making more space in the closet.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you she was coming, Uncle Fox. I really wanted to, but I knew if she found out, I'd be in a lot of trouble. She might’ve even prevented me from coming," Jake said solemnly, pushing his hands in his pockets.

Mulder stopped and looked back at his nephew. He looked so sad. Mulder walked over to him and pulled him close.

"Jake, I understand and it's okay. Everything's going to be all right. We're all going to have a great time," Mulder reassured, breaking the embrace once Jake gave him a small smile.

"Um...Uncle Fox, do I have to stay in here with my mom? Couldn't I sleep downstairs on the couch?" Jake asked timidly.

Mulder looked at Jake again, then gave him a big grin.

"I don't see why not. I mean I don't sleep on couches anymore," he winked. "I'll get some linen and take it down there. Would you mind keeping your clothes up here?"

"No. Thanks, Uncle Fox," Jake grinned back, then walked out the room and down to the living room to join his uncle and his mom. When he arrived, he found them laughing.

"What's so funny?" he asked, walking over to his mom and putting his arm around her shoulder.

"Your mom and I were looking at old photos and reminiscing," Skinner replied, replacing a picture.

Just then, Mulder came downstairs with a few pillows and a blanket. 

"What that for?" Skinner asked.

"Jake wants to sleep down here. I told him it would be okay. Is it okay with you?" Mulder asked, placing them on a chair.

"No, I don't mind."

"Guys, I'm sorry to be an inconvenience," she said, then turned to Jake. "Sweetie, I can sleep on the couch. They had the guest room all ready for you, not me."

"Nonsense, mom. I want to sleep on the couch. You can have the room."

"And Laurie, you are not an inconvenience. I say the more the merrier," Skinner said, giving his sister a kiss.

"I second that!" Mulder shouted, actually meaning it.

"Okay, if you say so," she consented, slightly embarrassed with all the attention.

Skinner glanced at his watch. It was close to noon.

"It's almost lunch time and I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. Fox and I planned to take you two to Planet Hollywood, if that's okay?"

"Cool! I've heard about that place. They have all the props from movies. You'll love it, Mom!" Jake exclaimed.

"Sounds like fun. Let me freshened up a bit and we'll go," she said, leaving to go to the downstairs bathroom. "The bathroom is this way, right?"

"Yep-- you remember," Mulder smiled.

"It's been a while. I guess all the brain cells aren't dead yet," she laughed and moved out of sight.

After the restaurant, they all walked around DC for a while before coming back home. By the time they arrived home, it was almost time for dinner.

"I'm going to fix some dinner for us," Mulder said, walking towards the kitchen.

"Nothing for me, Fox. I'm exhausted. I just want to take a shower and turn in," Laurie admitted.

"Oh, okay. What about you Jake?" Mulder asked.

"I'm a little tired, too, but I'm starving. I want dinner," Jake said, throwing himself on the couch.

"Growing boy," she said as she climbed the stairs. "Tell Walter I said, 'goodnight'.”

"I will," Mulder said, then turned to Jake. "I'll make something light -- like soup and a sandwich. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, sounds good. Thanks. Is it okay if I turned on the TV?" he asked.

"Sure," Mulder replied, as he went into the kitchen. Skinner walked into the living room and saw Jake sitting on the couch alone.

"Where is everybody?"

"Mom went to bed. She said to tell you, 'goodnight', and Uncle Fox is fixing us some dinner," Jake said, surfing channels.

Skinner sat down beside his nephew.

"Is she okay?" he asked.

Jake took his eyes from the TV for a moment to glance at his concerned uncle.

"Oh yeah -- she said she was tired, that's all. I'm tired, too-- and hungry."

Skinner reached over and squeezed Jake's knee.

"Sorry about that. I should have realized you two would be too tired from your trip to go gallivanting around town."

"It was okay with me. I had a great time. That restaurant was cool, especially that model of the Enterprise," Jake remarked, stretching his lean body from exhaustion.

"Yeah, it is a pretty cool place," Skinner smiled, then got up to go in the kitchen. "I'm going to check on dinner," he said, leaving Jake to yawn a nod as he stared at the TV screen.

When Skinner walked into the kitchen, Mulder was preparing sandwiches. He looked up at his lover.

"I found a can of beef barley in the cabinet. I figure that and a sandwich should hold us 'til morning."

Skinner went over to the stove. Lifting the lid on the pot of soup, he picked up a ladle and began to stir it.

"Yeah, that should be fine. Jake is really tired. I would have kept the walk around town for tomorrow, but I have to work," Skinner admitted, covering the pot.

"Well, we all had a nice time. He'll be fine after eating and getting a good night’s sleep. Walter, can you put the soup in bowls while I put the sandwiches on plates?"

"Sure," Skinner answered, grabbing three bowls from the cabinet. He started ladling the soup into them.

Mulder got a tray and placed the sandwiches on them. Skinner got another one and put the soup on it.

"I'll take these out," Mulder said, carrying the tray of sandwiches into the living room. When Skinner came out right behind him, he found Mulder standing there looking down at a sleeping teenager.

"I guess we're too late," Mulder smiled, looking over at his lover.

"That's okay. I'm sure he'll have extra helpings of waffles in the morning to make up for missing his dinner," Skinner said, placing the full tray on the coffee table and covering his nephew with the blanket Mulder brought down earlier.

Mulder placed his tray down too, then turned to take one of the soups and sandwiches back into the kitchen.

"Not so fast. I think I can find a place for those," Skinner said, patting his belly.

"I believe one serving is enough for you. I'm beginning to see something poking over your belt there," Mulder said, eyeing said belly.

Skinner looked down at belly, then began to rub it.

"Ya' think so? I'm getting a belly?" he asked, holding in his stomach, then letting it out.

"Not so much, but it's getting there," Mulder said, disappearing into the kitchen for a moment, then coming back out with two beers. He threw one to his worried looking lover.

"You think I should be drinking beer? I don't want a beer belly," Skinner said, pulling his shirt out of his pants to get a better look at his stomach.

Mulder rolled his eyes and sighed. What had he started? Now Skinner was going to obsess on his stomach.

"Walter, you are far from getting a beer belly. You hardly have any belly. I should never had said that. Besides, that's a light beer."

Skinner squinted at the can and read the label, then threw it back to Mulder, who barely caught it.

"Fox, you know I don't drink that swill. Why on God's green earth did you waste good money buying it?"

Mulder shrugged, "Well, I was noticing I was getting a little gut myself and I figured if I was going to be drinking a beer every night with dinner, I decided maybe drinking light beer would be better," Mulder suggested innocently.

"I'd rather drink urine," Skinner said, walking into the kitchen.

"Um...I got rid of the regular beer!" Mulder yelled.

Skinner slowly walked back into the living room with a dangerous look in his eyes. He glared at Mulder, as he walked towards him. Mulder got up from the couch and began to back up towards the front door. As he got to the closet, he quickly opened the door and pulled out his jacket. Before Skinner could reach him, Mulder had the door open.

"I'm going on a beer run -- be right back," he announced, then disappeared through the door, pulling it shut behind him.

Skinner stopped at the closed door, then turned around with a smile on his face. He placed a soup and sandwich on a tray, then moved to the recliner and began eating his dinner while he waited for his lover to return.

 

After they had finished eating, Mulder and Skinner retired to their bedroom, leaving Jake on the couch sound asleep. It was the first time they were alone since picking Laurie and Jake up from the airport. Mulder threw himself in a chair with a sigh. Skinner was beginning to undress.

"I know -- It's been a long day," Skinner remarked, looking back at his exhausted lover.

"And I have a feeling things are only going to get worse," Mulder said, obviously annoyed. He noticed the frown that was on Skinner's face at his statement. 

"Don't get me wrong Walter. I love Laurie but I don't really trust her. I had a feeling she was up to something by the way she sounded when she spoke to us on the phone."

"Well, Laurie's been known to do things like this," Skinner stated simply, stepping out of his pants.

Mulder blinked at him. "You mean to tell me you knew she would probably come with Jake and you didn't say anything to me so I could prepare?"

Skinner stood in his briefs looking at his irate lover. "Fox, I had no idea she would be coming with Jake. I was just as surprised to see her as you were," he said, walking into the bathroom.

Mulder was still sitting in the chair fully dressed when Skinner returned from the bathroom. He glanced at Skinner with a worried look on his face.

"Why do you think she came with him?"

"Maybe she just wants to make sure nothing's going to happen this time-- or maybe she just wanted to visit her brother and his lover," Skinner admitted, turning down the bed.

Mulder still had a fretful expression on his face. "You don't think she's here to," Mulder swallowed, "get even for what happen?"

Skinner leaned up from the bed and glanced at his lover. He padded over to him, caressing his head.

"I really don't think that's why she's here, Fox," Skinner replied with a little smile. "Besides, you have nothing to worry about. I'm the one she was really mad at."

"She knew I was the one who took her son to New York and didn't tell her when she spoke to me on the phone," Mulder admitted biting his bottom lip.

Skinner knelt down beside Mulder and placed an arm around his lover. "Fox, don't worry. My sister has a bit of a temper but she's not a monster," Skinner said, giving Mulder a tender kiss. "I mean, you make it seem like you're in physical danger from her," he laughed.

Mulder gave Skinner a serious look. "Why is that so funny? She spanks her teenaged son. What makes you think she won't spank us...me?"

"Because that would be completely ridiculous, Fox. We're grown men for God's sake," he remarked, standing up and walking over to the bed.

"Look at Jake -- he's practically a grown man. Christ, he's almost as tall as I am and she puts *him* across her knee," Mulder continued.

Skinner climbed under the covers, then gave his frustrating lover his best glare.

"Fox, I want you to stop this nonsense right now. Take off your clothes and get into bed or you're going to find yourself across *my* knee," Skinner threatened.

Mulder pouted, then stood up to remove his clothes. Once he was down to his boxers, he climbed into bed and into his lover's embrace. Mulder settled into the large arms, resting his head against the muscular chest. Skinner bent his head and placed a tiny kiss on the top of Mulder's head, then laid his face on the silky locks.

"Fox, I really don't think my sister is going to take her revenge out on either one of our asses, but even if she does, she can't possibly hit as hard as I do-- and you’ve survived that," he whispered.

"Barely," Mulder grumbled. "I've heard you describe the way Laurie punishes Jake and the state she leaves his butt in."

Skinner suddenly sat up and laid his massive body on top of his lover, then grabbed his wrists and held them above his head. "What do I have to do to stop you from worrying like this?" Skinner growled, as he licked and sucked on Mulder's exposed throat, causing him to groan loudly.

"Oh, I can think of a lot of things," he sighed.

"Keep your arms up," Skinner ordered, then he crawled down Mulder's body, disappearing beneath the covers. He quickly slid Mulder's boxers off and removed his own briefs as well. Then Skinner rejoined his lover, throwing the underwear on the floor. He grabbed hold of Mulder's wrists again and got back on top of him. He proceeded to move his hardening cock on Mulder's own stiffening member. Mulder continued to moan and writhe with sensual pleasure.

"God-- that feels good," Mulder groaned.

"Are you still worried?" Skinner asked, nibbling on an ear lobe.

"Yeah, a little," Mulder admitted, hoping the admission would intensify things.

"Well, I just have to work a little harder to soothe your worried mind," Skinner said, moving below the covers once again. Mulder laid waiting in anticipation. He couldn't see his lover, just his body moving under the covers. Suddenly, his cock was engulfed in wet, heat and he couldn't help but release a loud yelp. Skinner's head immediately poked out from the covers.

"Shhh, Fox! My sister is right next door," he warned.

"Walter, what did you expect me to do when you go down on me like that?" Mulder whispered.

"Just try to be a little quieter, that's all," Skinner whispered back, then went back under.

"Walter, I don't think this is such ahhhh good idea. I don't waaaaant her tooooo hear us. Ahhhh!" Mulder managed to groan that out, regardless of the incredible sensations Skinner was causing. Skinner kept up what he was doing for a few minutes more and when he knew that his lover was close, he stopped and came up for air.

"You're right, this isn't such a good idea. I don't want Laurie to hear us," Skinner said as he watched Mulder's reaction.

Mulder's eyes popped open and he tried to catch his breath.

"W-what?"

"I said, you're right -- we shouldn't be doing this. We don't want my sister to hear us."

"Sister? What sister? Who?" Mulder breathed out.

Skinner gave him a feral grin. He had Mulder right where he wanted him. When he was close like this, nothing mattered. He would forget everyone and everything -- except his own cock, which was shouting for immediate attention.

"So, I guess this means you're not worried anymore."

"W-worried about w-what?"

With that, Skinner went back under and finished Mulder off in royal style. His lover came hard and unfortunately very loud. Skinner hoped his sister wasn't still a light sleeper. And even if she did hear, there wasn't anything she could say. After all, this was their home and their bedroom.

After returning with a warm wash cloth, Skinner cleaned up his spent lover, then settled down for a good night sleep. Mulder had already beat him to it. Skinner laid awake for a while listening to the sound of his lover's breathing, then drifted off into his own slumber.

 

The next morning, Skinner wanted to make breakfast for everyone before he left for work, so he got up early -- showered, dressed and was down in the kitchen before anyone was up. Jake was the first to stumble into the kitchen after smelling the coffee brewing.

"Good morning, Uncle Walt," he yawned as he sat to the table.

"Morning, Jake. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, I did. Now I'm starving. What's for breakfast?"

"Waffles and sausage," Skinner announced as he prepared the batter.

"Make me a zillion," Jake said, getting up to pour himself a mug of coffee.

"Four it is," Skinner smiled.

Just then Laurie came into the kitchen, giving her brother and son morning kisses.

G' morning, Laurie, did you sleep well?" Skinner asked, pouring a mug of coffee for her as she sat.

"Thanks-- yes, I slept quite well. What about you guys?"

"I slept fine," Skinner answered.

"I slept great too, mom. That couch is really comfortable. No wonder Uncle Fox slept on it for so long. Speaking of, where is Uncle Fox?"

"He's still sleeping. He had a busy day yesterday," Skinner informed them.

"Not to mention a busy night," Laurie smirked, glancing sideways at her brother as she sipped her coffee. Skinner glared at her, then looked at Jake, who apparently didn't miss the meaning of the statement. He was snickering in his mug.

As if on cue, Mulder came into the kitchen, walking straight to the coffee. He didn't say a word to anyone as he poured himself a mug, then sat at the table.

"So, Uncle Fox, how did you sleep last night?" Jake asked, grinning.

After taking a long swig from his mug, Mulder looked up, then glanced around at everyone as if he didn't know they were there before.

"Oh, good morning," he said.

Laurie and Jake exchanged glances, then Laurie decided to ask this time.

"How did you sleep last night, Fox?"

Mulder blinked twice, then glanced at Skinner, who was giving him a 'they know' look. After taking another sip of the brew of life, his head was beginning to clear. He looked from his sister-in-law to his nephew, then sat back in the chair.

"Oh, I slept great! I always sleep well after a UFO," Mulder answered, grinning.

Mother and son looked at one another in confusion, then glanced from Skinner and back to Mulder. Skinner's eyes were narrowing at his lover.

"Uncle Fox, you saw a UFO last night?" Jake asked innocently.

Mulder laughed out loud.

"I wish! No, that means Unbelievably Ferocious Orga..." 

Before he was able to complete the last word, Skinner was at his side with his hand over Mulder’s mouth, dragging him from the table.

"Excuse us," Skinner said, carrying a struggling Mulder into the living room. When they arrived, Skinner released him.

"What the hell is wrong with you saying something like that to my sister and her son?" he asked angrily.

"They asked for it. You let me know they knew what we did last night and they were both teasing me about it. They deserved to know the truth," Mulder spat.

"You should have been a gentleman and not gone there, no matter how much they were teasing you. What we do in that bedroom is none of their business, no matter what they hear us do," Skinner growled. "Now, I want you to go back in there and apologize."

Mulder's eyes grew wide. He was about to open his mouth to dispute the order when he saw Skinner placing his hand on his belt buckle. Mulder's eyes grew even wider, then he stomped back into the kitchen.

"Laurie, Jake-- I'm very sorry about what I was going to say a moment ago. Am I forgiven?" Mulder asked with a charming smile.

"Of course you are, Fox-- but make sure you don't do it again," she replied.

"I will," Mulder said, then sat back down. 

Jake leaned over and whispered in his ear, “I know the word you were going to say," he grinned.

Mulder found himself blushing at Jake's admission. "Shhh," Mulder said, waving Jake away with his hand.

Skinner came back into the kitchen.

"I apologized," Mulder admitted, since he wasn't there to witness it.

"Good, Fox. Now-- what about the two of you?" Skinner asked, looking at his sister and her son. 

They both looked at each other dumbfounded.

"You both know you were teasing Fox about last night. If it weren't for you he would have never wanted to say what he was going to say," Skinner remarked.

After a few seconds of thought and a nod from his mother, Jake was the first to say he was sorry-- then Laurie followed suit. Following Mulder's acceptance they all ate breakfast pleasantly. When Skinner was about to clear away the dishes, they all got up and stopped him.

"Walter, you prepared this wonderful breakfast. Let us clear and wash the dishes," Laurie said, taking the plates from the table.

"Besides, you have to get ready for work," Mulder said, picking up the mugs.

Skinner smiled, "Thanks. I should be getting ready." He walked out the kitchen leaving them to finish up. After Laurie and Jake had placed the dirty dishes on the counter, Mulder put them in the dish washer.

"You guys are our guests. I'm not going to let you do the dishes. It's enough that you helped clear them off the table. I appreciate it," he told them.

"If you say so, Fox. I'm going to get dressed. You coming, Jake?" 

"Yeah, in a minute," he said. After his mother left the kitchen, Jake turned to his uncle.

"Uncle Fox...um...did Uncle Walt...um...spank you when he took you into the living room?" he asked with sorrowful eyes.

"No, Jake, he didn't. He just threatened to," Mulder replied honestly.

Jake let out a sigh of relief. "I'm glad to hear that. I didn't want to be the cause of you getting whipped again."

Mulder squeezed Jake's shoulder. "Don't worry, Jake. Hopefully nothing like that will happen this time," he smiled. "Now, go up and get changed. I have something planned for us today."

Jake grinned, quickly leaving the kitchen and jogging upstairs. On his way to the guest room, he ran into Skinner.

"Hope you and your mother have a good day-- I'll see you both later," Skinner said as he went down the stairs.

Jake replied, "Okay, see ya' later." Laurie shouted the same from inside the guest room.

Mulder was coming from the kitchen as Skinner was shrugging into his overcoat. Mulder helped him into his coat, then put his arms under it to hug his lover closely.

"You have a good day. Don't let them work you too hard," Mulder said.

"Oh, I'll have a very good day, because you won't be there," Skinner said with a wide grin.

Mulder reached his hand down to one of Skinner's ass cheeks and gave it a hard smack.

"Ouch!" Skinner exclaimed.

"Serves ya' right. You know you'll be bored out of your mind at the Bureau without me there to drive you crazy," Mulder said, now squeezing and caressing said buttock.

"You're absolutely right," Skinner groaned. "So, what ya' got planned for today?"

Mulder released Skinner's butt and adjusted him back to his dapper self.

"Well, I thought I would take them to the Planetarium. There's a new exhibit-- unidentified debris that fell from the sky. They also have a great laser show."

"Sounds like fun. Wish I were going with you," Skinner said.

"Me, too, but you'll be with us tomorrow for the convention. I can't wait," Mulder said eagerly.

"I just realized it -- what about Laurie? We didn't get a ticket for her," Skinner said.

"No problem. She can get her ticket at the door," he assured.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, good. I gotta' go," Skinner said, giving Mulder a quick kiss, then heading out the door.

Mulder closed the door, then jogged upstairs to get dressed himself.

 

Mulder, Laurie and Jake got back home after an enjoyable day out. After spending the day at the Planetarium and hanging out in town, Skinner met them for dinner. Everyone was in for the evening. Jake settled down on the couch and listened to music on his cell, Laurie was preparing to take a nice long bubble bath, Skinner worked on his latest building project -- a model of a '69 Chrysler and Mulder was online checking out some new UFO sites the Gunmen had sent him.

Once Laurie had the water temperature just right, she added the bubble bath and submerged herself into the water. Suddenly, she realized she had forgotten her bath oil beads. She had brought them with her and placed them in one of the dresser drawers. She didn't want to have to get out of the tub to get them. She remembered Mulder was in the den on the computer and the den wasn't too far from the guest room. Maybe he would hear her if she called.

"Fox!" She listened for him to answer. Nothing, so she called again.

"Fox!" Still no answer. Just as she was going to call for a third time, Mulder appeared in the doorway -- not daring to come all the way inside.

"You called, Laurie?"

"Yes, Fox. I left my bath oil beads in one of the drawers. Would you be a sweetheart and get them for me? They're in the top drawer on the right."

"Sure, be right back," Mulder said, walking into the room and to the drawer. He pulled it open and began searching for the beads. He wasn't sure what he was looking for -- were the beads in a bottle, jar or box? As he continued to look, he came upon something quite unexpected. Mulder grabbed hold of it and pulled it out. His eyes were wide and his mouth went dry as he held up a hard leather strap. From the looks of it, it wasn't new. It looked quite used. He stood there for a few more seconds, until he heard Laurie calling to him. Startled, he put the strap back in the drawer and started looking for the beads again.

"No, I haven't found them yet!" he called back. Finally, he grabbed a small clear bottle of beads and ran back into the bathroom. He leaned inside and handed them to Laurie. "I found them. Here ya' go."

"Thanks so much, sweetie," she said to him, but Mulder was long gone. He ran to tell Skinner of his upsetting discovery. Skinner was in the bedroom working on his model.

"Walter! Walter!" Mulder shouted as he ran in and closed the door. Skinner was sitting at a small table, fitting a intricate piece on the car, when his lover barged in.

"Fox, what is it?" Skinner scowled.

"You are never going to believe what I found in Laurie's drawer," Mulder breathed.

Skinner's scowl became a full fledged frown. "And why on earth were you in her drawer?"

"She asked me to get her bath oil beads. You know what was in there with them?" he asked, standing near the table with his arms akimbo.

"What was it, Fox?" Skinner asked, slightly disinterested.

"A leather strap," Mulder said with arrogance.

Skinner went back to working on his model.

"So?"

"So!? What do ya' mean, *so*? Walter, she had a strap in her drawer. Do you know what that means?" Mulder asked leaning down on the table.

"I'm quite sure you're gonna' tell me," Skinner said casually.

"It means she's going to give someone a strapping -- a whipping, Walter! I just knew it!" Mulder exclaimed as he began to anxiously pace around the room.

Skinner stopped and looked at his distressed lover. "Fox, calm down. She probably brought it in case she needed to use it on Jake."

"How do you know she didn't bring it to use on me...or on you?" Mulder continued to pace, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Come on, Fox, you're making yourself sick over nothing," Skinner said, reaching to touch his lover and grab his hand. "Laurie hasn't given us any indication she's going to do any such thing. I'm sure she brought the damned thing in case Jake got out of hand."

Skinner got up and engulfed Mulder within his strong arms, then turned him around and guided him towards the door. 

"Now, I want you to go downstairs and ask Jake if he'd like to play a "PlayStation" game with you. It'll take your mind off things. And when Laurie gets out the tub, we can discuss the convention with her."

Skinner pushed him out the door and gave him a pat on the behind. Mulder went downstairs as told and found his nephew still lying on the couch listening to music. He stood beside the couch and waited for Jake to notice he was there. After a few seconds, Jake sat up and took the headphones off this head.

"Anything wrong, Uncle Fox?"

"No Jake," he smiled. "I was just wondering if you would like to play a video game with me."

"Sure. You have ‘PlayStation 2‘, right? How 'bout "Rise To Honor"? Do you have that one?" he asked, sitting on the side couch.

"I believe I do." Mulder went over and browsed his collection of games. When he found the one Jake requested, he pulled it out and held it up. "Found it!" Mulder said, then put it in the machine and went to sit next to Jake on the couch.

"Have you played this before?"

"No, but I heard that it was really good," Jake said, eagerly.

"It is. You should get the hang of it quickly. I'll start and you just watch what I do," Mulder said, starting the game.

After a few practice matches, Jake was ready and the two began to virtually fight one another. Mulder fought a couple of matches before thoughts of Laurie and her strap started drifting back into his mind. Before they were to start another match, Mulder turned to his nephew.

"Jake, has your mom ever...um...punished you away from home?" Mulder asked tentatively.

Jake looked at his uncle, surprised. He took a few seconds to overcome the shock of the question. "Yeah, why?"

"Earlier, your mom asked me to get something from her drawer and when I did I discovered she had a strap in there," Mulder admitted nervously.

Jake felt his face flush. "Yeah, she's been carrying that thing with her since I was 6. I thought she stopped doing it." Jake paused, then added, shrugging, "I guess after what happened the last time, she's not taking any chances." 

"So, it's for you?" Mulder asked hopefully.

"Well-- yeah. Who else?" 

"Nobody," Mulder answered. Just then Laurie came downstairs followed by her brother. Jake got up and gave his mother a tender kiss.

"How was your bath, mom?"

"Wonderful," she said, sitting in the recliner. She turned to Mulder. "And thanks again for getting my bath oil beads, Fox. They made a world of difference," she smiled.

"You're welcome," Mulder said, glancing at Skinner and Jake.

"So, Walter’s told me you guys have plans for the weekend," Laurie replied.

"Yeah, Walter and I got tickets to a science fiction convention in DC. It's called "QuestCon".

"Cool! I've always wanted to go to one of those! Who's going to be there?" Jake asked, enthusiastically.

"Sarah Michelle Gellar."

"You're kidding! Buffy! That is most excellent!" Jake exclaimed.

Skinner looked over at Laurie, who didn't seem as excited.

"Laurie, is this okay with you?"

"A science fiction convention? I don't mean to ruin your plans, but I'm not really into science fiction," she admitted sadly.

"Mom, you watched ‘Buffy’ with me and you liked it," Jake assured.

"Yes, I did, but I'm not so interested in seeing the girl in person. I'm sorry."

"Laurie, there's more to the convention than seeing actors. There's a classic Sci-Fi movie and TV viewing room, an art show, a masquerade contest and a dealers room," Mulder explained.

"You might find a copy of ‘The Twilight Zone Companion’ there-- which you told me you've been looking for," Skinner added.

Laurie thought about it, then decided it might be fun.

"Okay, I'll go."

"Great! I got our tickets on-line. You can get yours at the door tomorrow morning," Mulder said, standing up and stretching. "And speaking of tomorrow morning, we have to get up early. The con starts at 9, but you should always get there a little earlier-- I suggest we get some sleep."

Jake made a face, then changed it when his mother gave him a look.

"We've had a long day," Laurie said. " I agree, I think we should get some sleep."

She got up from the chair and walked towards the stairs. "Jeff, I don't want you staying up all night playing video games. Fox, make sure he goes to bed," she said, looking at Mulder.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he gets to bed," he assured, turning off the ‘PlayStation’ and putting the game away.

"Good night, guys," she said as she made it up the stairs and into the bedroom.

"Good night,” they yelled.

"Fox, I'm going up. Good night, Jake. Sleep well," Skinner said, climbing the stairs.

"You too, Uncle Walt," Jake said, pulling his sweater off.

"I'll be out of your hair in a sec, Jake. I just have to put this stuff away," Mulder told him.

"I'm excited about the convention. It'll be so cool to see Sarah Michelle."

"I know your uncle is anxious to see her, too. Don't tell him I said so, but he has a big crush on her."

Jake made a face at his uncle.

"Really? But he's gay."

"That doesn't mean anything. A gay man can have a crush on a woman, just like a Lesbian can have a crush on a guy."

"Wow, I had no idea. Have you ever had a crush on a woman?"

Mulder chuckled. "Oh yeah, sure."

"Who?"

"Well, for a time it was my partner. Mostly it’s with celebrities. I'd get a...*you know what* every time I saw Janet Jackson," Mulder admitted.

"Yeah, she's really hot! Who else?" Jake asked, very interested.

"I thought Willow was cute, but later I had a serious crush on Spike."

"Remember Cordelia? After "Buffy" she was on "Angel." I had this huge crush on her."

"I think we should finish this conversation another time. I don't want your mother coming after me with that strap because I didn't get you to bed," Mulder said, partially joking.

"Okay," Jake said, getting his pillow and blanket, then covering himself up.

Mulder began to climb the stairs. When he got to the top, he called down to Jake. "Good night, Jake. See ya' in the morning."

"Night, Uncle Fox," he said, turning over and falling asleep.

When Mulder got to the bedroom, Skinner was already asleep. He tried to be quiet as he took off his clothes. Then he climbed into bed and got under the covers.

"So, what did Jake say about the strap?" Skinner asked, leaning up on his elbow.

Mulder turned towards him. "How did you know I...?"

"I know you, Fox. So-- what did he say?"

"He said Laurie brought it for him."

"I told you. Now, let's get some sleep," he said, pulling Mulder close. "I need to get my beauty sleep for Sarah," he mused.

"You're gonna' need more than 8 hours," Mulder chuckled.

Skinner smacked him on the ass, then they settled down to sleep.

"I'm still going to watch myself the whole time she's here," Mulder murmured into Skinner's furry chest.

"You do that," Skinner whispered as he fell asleep, with Mulder not far behind.

 

Continued in Chapter Nine


	9. The Demise Of Mirth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something happens to ruin Jake and Laurie's pleasant visit.

The first two days of the convention went very well. Jake got a big kick out of actually being at one of these things. The whole nerd/geek connection with Sci-Fi cons really didn't bother him. He'd always loved science fiction TV shows and films and he wasn't about to give up something he enjoyed because a few jerks said it wasn't a cool thing to do. He and Mulder spent a lot of time in the dealer's room, but didn't spend a lot of money. They were both put on strict budgets. Mulder did manage to buy something he'd always wanted though -- a model kit of the original *USS Enterprise*. It was an exact replica of the 1966 model used in the series. Now, he had to decide whether to preserve it and never open it or give it to Skinner to put together for him. That purchase basically tapped him out, so he spent the rest of the con just browsing the room with Jake, who was having a hard time deciding on what to buy. He wanted everything. Finally, with his uncle's help, he narrowed his *want-list* down to two categories: model ships and blueprints. After looking around, he was able to afford both. Jake got a small die cast model of the *Jupiter 2* from the series "Lost In Space" and the official blueprints for the ships from the original "Star Trek" series. Both Mulder and Jake were happy with their purchases.

Laurie and Walter spent most of the time in the viewing room watching old Sci-Fi TV series and a couple of movies. Walter enjoyed browsing the dealer's room with Laurie, but really wasn't interested in buying anything. He helped his sister look for the "Twilight Zone" book and was happy when she found it. At her urging for him to buy at least one thing, he decided to get two key chains -- one with the cast of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and the other with Buffy by herself. He figured he could put his house key on one and his car key on the other. He'd decide which later. 

Everyone got together for the masquerade contest, which was on Saturday. They had a blast seeing all the weird and amazing creations. Mulder and Jake had to be verbally reprimanded on numerous occasions by Laurie and Skinner for making fun of some of the costumes, although Laurie and Skinner had to admit some of the costumes were pretty funny. A good time was had by all.

Finally the big day came -- Sunday, the day Buffy herself would appear. Jake had purchased a photograph in advance for her to sign. Skinner was going to buy one from the table where she would be signing. Sarah was scheduled to appear at the end of the day. She was the last event on the program. While a ballroom full of anxious fans awaited her arrival, a very disturbing announcement came over the speakers: 

"We're very sorry to announce due to unexpected events, Sarah Michelle Gellar will be unable to attend the convention."

"I can't believe she canceled," Skinner said disappointedly for the hundredth time on their way back home from the convention. 

"Unfortunate, but that happens sometimes," Mulder said solemnly getting out the car.

"That really sucks. They should give us our money back," Jake replied, a little more upset than his uncle.

"The admission ticket doesn't guarantee guest star appearances," Mulder explained as he led everyone to the front door. Once inside, Jake threw his un-autographed 8 X 10 glossy of Sara Michelle Gellar on the coffee table, then fell on the couch in utter frustration.

"Come on, guys. I know you're disappointed but we all had a good time, didn't we?" Laurie asked cheerfully.

No one gave her an answer.

"I mean, we all bought some pretty good stuff from the dealer's room and I found that "Twilight Zone" book I've been looking for," Laurie offered, wanting to assure them the whole convention wasn't a total lost.

"We're so fucking happy for you," Jake said sarcastically as he slumped down on the couch.

Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and turned to stare in shock, at Jake. At that moment, Jake wished he could take back what just exploded from his mouth. He glanced around at everyone, then centered on his mother, who's eyes looked like two molten hot coals.

"Get upstairs," she spat.

"Mom, I'm sorry...I didn't mean to say that," Jake implored, as he sat up on the couch.

"I said, get your butt upstairs and into the guest room. Now, boy!" she screamed.

Jake jumped up from the couch and looked to his uncles for help.

"Laurie, take it easy, he was upset. He didn't mean to say that to you," Mulder offered, hoping to get Jake off the hook. "Give him a break."

Laurie's expression took on a new dangerous appearance. Her eyes seem to be throwing daggers at Mulder.

"I don't permit him to talk to me, his mother, like that. I guess you would allow this kind of behavior since you allowed my son to disobey me and go to New York," she spat.

Before Mulder could say anything to defend himself, Skinner stepped in.

"Laurie, that's not fair. Mulder didn't know that you didn't want Jeff to go to New York and you know that."

"You shouldn't talk about being fair, Walter. You wanted to keep everything that happened from me. Do you think that was fair to me?"

Skinner didn't have anything to say about that. He knew he was wrong in not telling her.

"Laurie, can't you just forget about what happened all those months ago? What's done is done," he said.

"Walter, you should know me by now. I don't forget anything, especially when I haven't had the chance to handle the situation properly," she hissed, turning towards her son again, who was still standing in the living room. 

"I thought I told you to get upstairs-- or would you prefer your uncles to witness your butt whippin'?"

Jake turned and jogged up the stairs, not looking back. Before Laurie reached the bottom of the stairs, she turned to the two men who were standing in the living room. 

"When I'm through with Jake, I'll deal with the two of you," she said, then climbed upstairs and into the guest room, shutting the door loudly.

Mulder and Skinner stood staring at the top of the stairs, each trying to absorb the meaning of the apparent threat.

"I knew it! This is why she came here. She was just waiting for an opportunity to get us for what we did," Mulder said, beginning to pace anxiously.

Skinner stayed where he was, still trying to figure things out. Could Mulder be right? Was she waiting for something to happen so she could do what she came here to do? Was she really going to use that strap on him and Mulder? Mulder stopped pacing long enough to see that Skinner wasn't saying anything. He walked over to him.

"I'm right, aren't I? She's going to whip us with that friggin' strap, isn't she?"

Skinner glanced at him. "I think you might be right, Fox. I think she might have come here to settle things," he acknowledged simply.

Mulder looked at him in shock, taking a few steps back.

"That's not what you're supposed to say, Walter. You're supposed to say I'm wrong and that she's not going to do anything to us. You’re supposed to tell me when she said she would deal with us, she meant discussing the situation in an adult and *painless* way," Mulder rationalized.

He looked at Mulder with soft, calm eyes and reached out to caress his cheek. "I'm sorry, Fox. I had hoped my sister was beyond resorting to her old ways. I had hoped she would have forgotten or at least forgiven us for what happened. I guess I was wrong."

Mulder blinked at him and moved out of reach. "Is that it? Is that all you've got to say?"

"What else is there to say, Fox?" Skinner asked, walking over and sitting on the couch.

"There's *plenty* to say-- like: 'I'm not going to let her touch you or me, Fox' or 'We're both grown men and we're not going to be spanked as if we were children'," Mulder replied.

Skinner glanced up at him from the couch. "Fox, you yourself pointed out she spanks Jake and he's practically a grown man," Skinner reminded him.

Mulder couldn't believe what he was hearing. Skinner was actually going to accept a whipping from his own *little* sister. He was sure *he* wouldn't have to put up with it. Mulder wasn't about to let Laurie do anything to him…

"Well, you can just sit there and wait for her to call you up there to give you a whipping, but I'm out of here," Mulder announced, grabbing his jacket from the closet. Just then both men heard Jake screaming from the guest room. After giving one another a worried glance, Mulder quickly shrugged into his jacket and pulled open the door.

"Where are you going?" Skinner asked, sitting at the edge of the couch.

"Away from here," he said, slamming the door behind him.

Skinner sat back on the couch, then reached for the remote to turn on the TV. He needed to drown out his nephew's cries. After about 10 minutes, Skinner heard the door to the guest room open. He shut off the TV and glanced upstairs. Slowly, Jake appeared sniffling and rubbing his behind. He climbed down the stairs stiffly and stood in front of his uncle, glancing at the floor.

"Mom told me to tell you and Uncle Fox to come upstairs," Jake announced, then went to stand in the corner of the room, turning his face to the wall. He had no idea Mulder wasn't even there.

Skinner got up and went over to his nephew and laid a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it.

"It'll be okay," he said, then turned to go upstairs. When he entered the bedroom, his sister was sitting on the side of the bed crying softly.

"So, you do cry after you spank him," he observed.

She glanced up at him, rubbing her eyes. He got some tissues and handed them to her.

"Thank you. Where's Fox?" she asked, wiping her nose.

"He left," he answered, sitting next to her on the bed.

"What do you mean, he left?"

"He didn't want to deal with you and the strap," Skinner said, glancing at said implement, which was lying on the dresser, still smoking.

"How did he know I would use it on him? After all, he's a grown man," she rationalized.

"Well, it's not like he hasn't been punished as a grown man before," Skinner admitted, giving his sister a sideways glance.

It took a few seconds for Laurie to comprehend what her brother was telling her.

"You...punish him?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Yeah, I do. And he punishes me when I deserve it."

Laurie looked at her brother as if she didn't know him.

"I had no idea. Why didn’t you ever tell me?" she asked.

"Because it was between me and Fox."

"Did you punish him for taking Jake to New York?"

"Yes, I did."

"Was Jake there? Did he know?"

"Jake found out on his own without my permission. Please don't hold it against him for not telling you. I told him not to. I wanted this part of my relationship with Fox to be our secret," Skinner confessed.

"Then why are you telling me now?"

"Because I think it's something you needed to know. You needed to know Fox has already been punished properly for what he did."

Laurie sat thinking about what her brother had just told her. It was hard for her to believe two grown men actually spank each other.

"Was it some kinky BDSM thing? Or was it a *real* punishment?" she asked.

"Oh, it was a *real* punishment. You can ask Jake. He witnessed the whole thing-- mostly."

Just then the front door slammed. Mulder came back and noticed Jake standing in the corner. He didn't look back when Mulder entered the room. Mulder glanced at him, then took off his jacket and threw it on the couch. He then looked towards the guest room and ran upstairs. When he got to the closed door, he listened for the sound of his lover getting his ass whipped, but didn't hear anything. He decided to knock.

"Come in," Laurie said.

Mulder slowly opened the door and saw his lover causally sitting next to his sister on the bed. Skinner didn't look as though he had his ass whipped…

"Come in, Fox. Walter and I have just been talking," she said.

Mulder came further into the room and immediately noticed the strap lying on the dresser. He turned to close the door, then went to sit on a chair.

"I took a walk around the block," Mulder admitted to Skinner, then looked at Laurie.

"Fox, Walter told me you were concerned I would use that strap on you," she said, glancing over at the implement.

Mulder looked at his lover, who prompted him to tell the truth.

"Yeah, I was...am," Mulder corrected. "Laurie, did you come here just to punish us for what happened?"

Laurie looked at him for a second. "No, Fox, I didn't. I came here because I thought it would be a good opportunity to see my family." She paused a moment then added, "And I'd also be able to keep an eye on my son."

"But you *are* still pissed about what happened, aren't you?" Mulder asked.

"Let's just say there are things that still need to be dealt with."

Mulder gave Skinner a nervous glance, then lowered his head.

"Fox, do you think you deserve a whipping from me?"

Mulder heard this question many times before. It always seemed like a trick question. If you say no and they think you deserve it, you'll get a spanking anyway. If you say yes, then you'll still get a spanking. It was a no-win situation. Mulder actually wanted to say 'no', he didn't deserve a whipping, not from her anyway. Skinner had already punished him for what he’d done. After all, *he* wasn't her son.

"If you want the truth, no, I don't think I deserve a whipping from you," Mulder said with conviction.

Skinner was proud Mulder didn't seem as nervous anymore. He was standing up for himself.

"Do you think you deserve a whipping at all?" she asked.

Mulder looked at Skinner. He wanted to tell her he was already punished by her brother, but Mulder didn't know if it would be all right to tell her that.

"No...I was already...dealt with for what I’d done that evening."

"Yes, Walter told me," she divulged.

Mulder stared wide-eyed at his lover.

"I had to, Fox. She needed to know you were punished for disobeying me. It's okay," Skinner said calmly.

"Fox, I don't care what goes on between you and my brother. I was glad he told me he’d dealt with you."

"Then that means I don't have to be concerned about that...*thing* over there," Mulder said, catching himself from uttering a curse.

"Oh, I didn't say that, Fox. Walter dealt with you about you disobeying him. That had nothing to do with what you did to me," Laurie told him.

Skinner let out a loud sigh, knowing now this wasn't hardly over.

"What did I do to you?" Mulder asked, not sure what he had done.

"Remember when I spoke to you on the phone after Jake got home? Did you tell me what happened?"

Mulder glanced at Skinner, then lowered his head, shaking it.

"You admit to not telling me something I should have been told?"

"Yes," Mulder whispered, then he looked up. "You're going to whip me for that?"

"I don't know. Maybe," Laurie answered honestly.

"What if I don't let you? What if I really don't think I should be punished for that? Not by *you* anyway," he added quietly.

Laurie stood up and walked over to her brother-in-law. "Fox, you have the right to not let me do anything you don't want me to do to you-- and I have the right to react the way I have to."

"What does that mean?" Mulder asked, confused.

"Well, it means I can't force you to let me punish you. You have to let me and if you decide not to, then I won't be able to let this rest. It will never be over with me," Laurie explained honestly.

"You mean you'll hold that against me for the rest of my life?"

"Something like that," she said.

"Christ, Walter, you have a sister and a half! If I don't let her whip me, I'm never gonna' live it down," he said to his lover.

"I told you she holds grudges, Fox."

"Fox, why don't you step outside and think about it while I talk to Walter in private?"

Skinner looked at Mulder for an instant, then lowered his eyes. Mulder got up and moved towards the door. He looked back at Skinner one more time, then opened the door and walked out.

"Walter, has Fox punished you for not telling me what happened?"

"No, sis, he left that all up to you," he said sarcastically.

"Should I punish you for doing that?"

"To be honest, no. I'm not only a grown man, but I'm your older, much bigger brother," he acknowledged.

"What does that have to do with you deserving to be punished by me for something you did against me?" Laurie asked.

"Nothing. I just think you shouldn't whip me like a child for it," Skinner said frankly.

"You whip Fox and he whips you. What's the difference?" 

"Fox and I have a mutual understanding and agreement. Our relationship is based on respect, trust and love. We want to make sure the other is being the best person they can be. We want to make each other better. We don't punish each other out of sheer vengeance or pure anger," Skinner said, glaring at his sister.

"Is that what you think I do, Walter? You think I whip Jake or I want to whip you or Fox out of vengeance and anger?"

Skinner lowered his head, shrugging slightly. Laurie came back and sat next to her brother.

"Walter, remember when Dad used to punish us?"

"Yeah, of course. I couldn't sit for almost a week afterwards."

"Remember what he would say just before and after a spanking?"

Skinner thought about it for a moment. "He would say he was about to spank us because he wanted us to know there were consequences to bad judgment and behavior. Afterwards he would say it was for our own good and next time we would think before doing something like that again."

"And didn't he say that he was doing it because he loved us and wanted us to grow up to be good people? That he wanted the spanking to make us better than we were before we got it?"

"Yeah, he said that," Skinner agreed.

Laurie placed a hand on her brother's face. "All I'm trying to do is raise Jake the way Dad raised us. I want to make my son a better person. I want him to grow up to be a good man, like you. I want him to know there are consequences to bad choices in life. I want to let him know I love him enough to stop him from continuing to make bad choices. That's what the whippings are about, Walter. I'm not doing it to be vindictive or mean. I'm sure Jake thinks those are my motives sometimes, because he's a child and doesn't understand. I had hoped you and Fox would understand."

Skinner smiled at his sister. He understood what she said all too well. They were the same reasons why he punishes Mulder and why Mulder punishes him. He thought he understood why his sister punishes her son the way she did, but he really didn't. He thought it was because she was controlling and unreasonably strict, but now he saw that wasn't the case. She and her son basically had the same discipline relationship as he had with Fox, or he had with his own father. 

"Sis, I'm sorry I didn't understand and thought badly of you. Can you forgive me?" Skinner asked.

"Yes, I can, but I want to make sure you'll become a better man from this -- a man who will never think badly of his sister and a man who will never withhold information that his sister should know, especially when it involves her son. Now-- go and get the strap from the dresser," she ordered in a calm voice.

Skinner stood for a moment, eyeing his sister -- two sets of mahogany eyes were staring at each other from behind four sets of glass. After reading the determination in his sister's eyes, Skinner lowered his and did as he was told. He lifted the strap from the dresser, then turned handing it to her.

"Okay, bro, lower your pants and place your hands on the dresser," Laurie commanded as she knotted her hair behind her head.

Skinner let out a sigh, then began to open his jeans. He let them drop to his ankles, then placed his hands on the dresser.

"Walter, do you really think I would whip you differently than dad used to? Get those briefs down," she commanded.

"I had hoped you would," Skinner smirked, pushing down his briefs and leaning on the dresser.

"That's a good big brother. Now stick out that butt. That's good. Now-- don't move."

Skinner gripped the sides of the dresser, shaking his head. "I can't believe I'm letting you do this to me."

"You're letting me do this to you because you love and trust me. And I'm doing it because I love you and want you to learn from your mistakes and to never repeat them." Laurie stepped closer to her brother and pushed his shirt up his back and out of the way, bracing her hand there.

"I had hoped Fox would let me do the same for him," she continued. "I want him to be the best man he can be. I want him to know I love him enough to stop him from doing the wrong thing. I love him as if he were my biological little brother, but I'm not sure if he knows that."

"Oh, he knows it, Laurie. Fox loves you. He considers you the big sister he never had and the adult sister he never knew."

Laurie felt tears welling up in her eyes. "Really? I'm happy to hear that," she said, wiping away a fallen tear. "I’d better get on with this before I lose my nerve."

Laurie gripped the strap in her hand, then raised it high in the air, bringing it down hard on her brother's bare behind. Skinner couldn't believe the power behind his sister's blow. It took his breath away. She laid another one across both cheeks, causing him to gasp out loud.

"Christ, Laurie, that thing really stings!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's a nasty little thing," she said, giving him another taste. She gave him a few more quick slaps. Now Skinner's butt was covered with red strap marks. Laurie saw the backs of his thighs were still untouched, so she quickly made up for that. She smacked one thigh, then the other. Skinner's knees buckled and he hissed. She waited for him to stand upright again, then gave him two more.

"Laurie, I am never going to keep anything from you ever again," Skinner breathed.

"I'm glad," she said, then slapped his ass again.

"Laurie, how many are you going to give me?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"I don't know. Maybe I'll keep it up until my arm gets tired," she admitted, barely out of breath.

Skinner lowered his head and shook it from side to side. He knew his sister was in pretty good shape, so that could be a while yet. 

"Actually, I have to save something for Fox, so I'm going to stop after a few more," she said, hitting him two more times on the backs of his thighs.

Skinner took in a sharp breath, then said," Thank you, God."

True to her word, Laurie ended Skinner's pain after a couple more slaps. She threw the strap back on the dresser and told her brother to adjust his clothes. Skinner stood up and gingerly pulled up his briefs, then his jeans. At that moment, he wished he had worn loose boxers and baggy jeans. Laurie sat back on the bed and watched as Skinner hissed, pulling up his pants. She knew she did a good job on his ass. He would feel it days later. When he was adjusted, he turned to look at his sister.

"I see whipping me doesn't make you cry," he acknowledged with a bit of sarcasm.

"Jake's my son -- my baby boy. You're just my big, ol' brother," she smiled. "I see you're not crying, either. I guess I didn't hit you hard enough," Laurie figured.

"Oh, you hit me hard enough, I just don't cry easily -- you know that," he said, rubbing some of the lingering sting from his butt.

"Yeah, I do. You're the big, tough Marine all the time, aren't you?"

"No, not all the time," he flushed. "Fox has brought a tear to my eye every once in a while," Skinner admitted, remembering all the times Mulder's love for him had made him weep. He also remembered the times Mulder needed to *correct* him and was able to get a tear or two out of him, but he wasn't about to let Laurie know that. She might want to try harder to get him to cry herself.

"Speaking of Fox, where do you think he went?" she asked.

"He's probably downstairs comforting Jake. I'll go down and see," Skinner said as he moved awkwardly towards the door. "Do you want me to send him up?"

Laurie nodded. Skinner opened the door and saw his lover wasn't downstairs at all. He was sitting on the floor just outside the door. He jumped up as soon as the door opened.

"Oh-- hi," Mulder said ungracefully

"Fox, have you been there the entire time?" Skinner asked.

"Yes," Mulder answered, slightly embarrassed.

"Come inside, Fox," Laurie called from inside the room. Skinner stepped inside to let his lover pass. Laurie was standing when Mulder came in.

"Sit, Fox -- I want to talk to you," she said, gesturing towards the chair.

"Do you want me to leave?" Skinner asked.

"No, Walter. You can stay-- for now," she said. Skinner closed the door and stood back out of the way.

"I guess you heard everything that went on in here," Laurie said, turning towards Mulder.

Mulder nodded. "What do you have to say about what you heard?"

Mulder looked from Skinner to Laurie. "I now understand why you punish Jake -- and I understand why you just punished Walter and why you want to punish me," Mulder replied quietly.

"And why is that, Fox?" Laurie asked, coming to stand next to Mulder's chair.

"Because you want us to be the best we can be and you don't want us to make bad choices," he answered dismally.

"That's right. And-- because I love you, Fox. I love you like I love my brother and my son. You are the little brother I never had. I care about what happens to you and the decisions you make. And just like Walter, I love you enough to punish you when you need it, so you won't make that mistake ever again," she said, brushing his hair back.

Mulder smiled up at his sister-in-law and wrapped his arm around her body.

"Laurie, I know I haven't been totally honest with you and you have a right to be upset with me." Mulder paused, swallowing. Then he stood up, gently taking hold of her shoulders, looking down into her eyes. "And you deserve to deal with me however you see fit to make this okay between us. So, if you still want to punish me, I will let you."

Laurie stood looking up into the sincere hazel eyes and saw why her brother adored this man so. She fought back tears as she stepped away from him and grasped the strap.

"Walter, I think it would be better if you stepped outside. This is between our brother and me," she smiled.

Skinner nodded and squeezed his lover's shoulder as he moved to the door.

"Walter, when you go downstairs, please tell Jake he's allowed out of the corner," Laurie said.

"Do you want me to take his place?" Skinner asked with slight amusement that wasn't lost on his sister.

"No, Walter," she smiled, "that won't be necessary...this time."

Skinner smiled at his sister's obvious threat, then he glanced at Mulder, giving him a quick wink. Mulder gave him a tentative smile back, then Skinner opened the door and left the room. He stiffly went downstairs to relieve his nephew. The young man still had his nose to the wall and didn't turn when he came up behind him.

"Jake, your mom said you could get out the corner now."

Jake turned and quickly wiped his tear stained face. "Are you okay, Uncle Walt?" he asked timidly.

"Yeah. I'm fine, Jake. Your mom swings a mean strap, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. How are you doin'?" Skinner asked, grasping his shoulder.

"Okay. I hate it when she makes me stand in the corner afterwards. I guess I should be happy she didn't make me do it with my pants around my ankles this time," Jake said, smiling shyly.

"I think you should be," Skinner agreed, chuckling. Then Jake became suddenly serious as he glanced up the stairs.

"It's Uncle Fox's turn now, isn't it?" he asked nervously.

"Yeah, but I'm sure he can handle it -- don't worry," Skinner reassured his nephew.

"I hope so. That strap can be deadly, which I know you know now," Jake said rubbing his abused butt.

"Yeah, I do," Skinner said rubbing his butt also. "I would invite you to have a seat and watch TV until things are over, but I think that's out of the question right now," he smiled.

"You know *that's* right. Maybe we could just lean against the wall, like this," Jake said, linking his fingers across his chest, then leaning on his elbows and upper arms so his butt wouldn't come in contact with the wall.

"That's good, but I think I'm just going to lean on the back of the recliner," he said, doing so, then reaching for the remote and switching on the TV. He made the volume a little louder than usual, just in case Laurie was going to do an excellent job on Mulder's ass, causing him get a bit vocal.

 

Upstairs in the guest room, Mulder stood nervously waiting for Laurie to tell him what she wanted him to do. Sometimes with Skinner, he would just move into position because he would know from past experience where Skinner wanted him, but in this case he didn't know what was expected. After her brother left, Laurie glanced around the room at various areas, trying to find a suitable place for Mulder's punishment -- but from Mulder's point of view Laurie was just making things worse having him waiting like this. Mulder started to fidget and shift his weight from one foot to the other in an attempt to get her to speed things up. Since he was already standing near the dresser, she decided to choose that again.

"Fox, I want you to lower your pants and underwear and place your hands on the sides of the dresser."

Mulder bit on his lower lip nervously as he glanced at Laurie. After a deep sigh, he turned and opened his jeans. She looked away also to give him some privacy. Mulder quickly yanked down both his boxers and jeans in one motion, then placed his hands on the dresser.

"Stick your butt out some more," she ordered and he obeyed. Laurie moved closer to him and pushed his shirt out of the way, then braced herself on his upper back. Without anymore hesitation, Laurie raised the strap and brought it down hard on Mulder's naked behind. Mulder gasped at the pain that radiated through his butt-- and that was from just one blow. Another came in its place, then another. Mulder began to groan loudly by the fourth and fifth slap of the strap. God, this thing stung, he thought. After a few more across his butt cheeks, Laurie decided to concentrate on the backs of his thighs. With the first strike, Mulder shrieked and his knees buckled. The backs of his thighs were always an extremely sensitive area whenever Skinner striked him there.

"Laurie, please...I can't take another hit with that thing there," Mulder rasped out, straightening his legs.

Without saying a word, Laurie strapped him again on the other thigh. Again Mulder's knees buckled and he let out a scream of pure agony which could be heard downstairs over the TV volume. This time Mulder didn't straighten up immediately. He needed to catch his breath, so he stayed partially kneeling with his head resting on the top of the dresser. Laurie waited patiently for him to straighten up, but after several more seconds her patience gave out.

"Fox, get up and let's get this over with," she commanded in a stern voice.

"Laurie, I told you -- I can't take anymore on the backs of my thighs...please...anywhere but there," he implored.

"Is it hurting you too much, Fox?"

"Yes, I can't take it," he admitted honestly.

"Funny. I'm giving you the exact same punishment I gave Jake and Walter and neither one of them complained," she told him, with a smirk.

Mulder finally stood up and turned to Laurie with his pants still around his ankles and his hands covering his genitals. "All I know is I can't take anymore on my thighs," he said firmly.

"Well, I'm sorry to tell you this, Fox, but this is a punishment and it's supposed to hurt. It's supposed to hurt like hell. Now, turn around and let me finish this," she ordered adamantly.

Mulder stood his ground, not turning or moving. "No! Not unless you promise not to whip me on my thighs!" he yelled.

"Fox, turn around and put your hands on the dresser. Don't make me tell you again," she threatened.

Mulder was determined to not get whipped on the thighs again. He had always hated it when Skinner did it. He was sure he could be defiant with Laurie and nothing would really happen. I mean, what was she going to do, manhandle him into taking it? He thought not. She might be a tall, strong woman, but there was no way she was going to physically force him to do anything, Mulder thought as he stood staring her down.

Suddenly, Laurie could take no more. She grabbed Mulder's arm and forced it behind his back, then pushed him towards the bed. Once there, she shoved him down on the mattress, holding his arm painfully in place.

"Laurie-- stop! What do you think you're doing!?" Mulder cried, fighting as best he could with his ankles bound and an arm held at his back.

"I'm going to finish what I started," she said, climbing on Mulder's back and straddle him, keeping his arm locked behind him. She turned herself so she would be facing his buttocks and his thighs.

"Now, let's see you defy me this time," she said, slapping the strap down on one of his sensitive thighs. Mulder screamed again out of sheer pain and being completely appalled. Mulder couldn't believe how heavy she was and that he couldn't left himself to throw her off of him.

"Laurie, no! Get the fuck off me! Get off!" Mulder yelled.

"Oh, I see my son's not the only one who likes to use that word. We'll have to see about that," she spat, slapping Mulder's butt and thighs over and over again viciously. Every time his feet would come up, Laurie would push them down and smack him. She smacked him quickly, covering every inch of his butt cheeks and thighs. Mulder was now in a howling, bucking frenzy.

"Ahhhh!!!! Pleeeease....Laurie....please...I'm so sorry! I'll never curse at you again...please stop!" Mulder sobbed.

"Not -- until -- I'm -- done," she said, continuing to smack him relentlessly.

Downstairs in the living room, Skinner and Jake helplessly listened to Mulder's cries. The TV didn't do much to drown it out.

"Wow, mom's really giving it to Uncle Fox. I hope he doesn't curse at her, she hates that," Jake admitted.

Skinner glanced at his nephew. "Jake, does your mother ever get out of control when she spanks you?"

Jake blinked at his uncle. "I don't know," he shrugged. "I just know she gets really mad if you don't obey her or you curse at her."

"Yeah, I noticed that," Skinner said getting up from the couch and going to the stairs.

"Where are you going?"

"Stay down here, Jake. I'm going to check on Fox and your mom," Skinner answered climbing the stairs. Jake sat on the couch looking at Skinner until he moved out of sight.

He could still hear his lover's cries as he approached the door. Instead of just barging in, Skinner decided to knock and call out.

"Fox, are you okay?" He listened for an answer, then he heard Mulder yell: 

"Walter...help me! Stop her!"

Skinner immediately pushed open the door and ran in. He saw his sister sitting on top of his lover, wailing on his butt with the strap.

"Laurie, what the hell are you doing?! Get off him!" Skinner yelled, pulling her off him. 

"Walter, I'm not done with him yet," she said breathing hard.

"Oh, yes-- you are!" Skinner exclaimed kneeling at Mulder's side. He looked down at the angry welts on his buttocks and thighs, then went in the bathroom and came back with a cold wet towel, laying it across the battered flesh. Mulder hissed and groaned. Skinner caressed his sweaty hair, speaking soothingly to him.

"It's over, babe. Take it easy," he said, then glared up at his sister, who was watching.

"Laurie, why did you whip him like this?" Skinner asked angrily.

"He was being obstinate, then he cursed at me," she told him without remorse.

"And you think that justified your sitting on him and wailing on him like that?" he asked, rubbing Mulder's back.

"Yes, I do. I told him to turn around and let me finish, but he wouldn't listen," she said self righteously.

Skinner caressed Mulder's head one more time, then slowly got up to confront his sister. He was in full surly AD mode.

"Laurie, were you angry when you were whipping Fox?"

"Well, yeah. He refused to listen, then cursed at me. He was deliberately being defiant. I wasn't going to stand for it," she said adamantly.

"So, you think that gives you the right to use force and take your anger out on him?" Skinner asked, dangerously calm.

"Yes, he gave me no other choice."

"Oh, you had another choice. You could have chosen to wait until you calmed down before you continued to punish him. One thing I've learned over the years is you never punish in anger because it makes you loose control and do what you did tonight," Skinner snarled, then turned to Mulder.

"Fox, look at me." 

Mulder turned his head and looked at his lover.

"Why did you behave the way you did?"

Mulder sighed, then began to explain. "Walter, she was whipping me on my thighs and I couldn't take it. I told her to stop and she wouldn't, so I refused to obey her."

Skinner frowned, then continued. "And why did you curse at her?"

"I did it after she wrenched my arm behind my back and sat on me," he said, glaring at Laurie.

"I had to sit on you because you weren't obeying me!" Laurie shouted.

"I told you to stop hitting me on my thighs and you wouldn't listen!" Mulder shouted back.

"That's enough! I don't want to hear another word from either of you!" Skinner shouted, then turned back to Mulder. "Fox, you gave Laurie permission to punish you, didn't you?"

Mulder nodded.

"And that means she can punish you any way she sees fit--within reason, correct?"

"I guess so," Mulder shrugged.

"There's no, 'I guess so'. She can. When I punish you, do you have a say in what I do? Can you defy me and refuse punishment once you've accepted it?"

"No, Walter, I can't," he admitted solemnly.

"Then why do you think you could defy Laurie?"

"Because I thought I could get away with it," Mulder admitted honestly.

"Well, she proved you wrong. However-- that doesn't mean she was right to whip you in anger," Skinner said, glaring at his sister. "But you shouldn't have defied her either." 

Mulder lowered his head into his arms and apologized. "I'm sorry, Laurie," he whispered.

Skinner glared at his sister, encouraging her to do the same.

"I am too, Fox," she finally said, but she was not entirely sincere.

"Now, was that so hard?" Skinner asked, then went over to Mulder again, carefully removing the towel from his butt.

"Fox, you need some aloe lotion on this. I'll be right back," Skinner said, leaving the room to get the lotion from the bathroom.

Laurie was still standing in the room, glancing at Mulder's ass and thighs. They looked really painful. She was beginning to feel sorry for him and sorry for what she did. She knew she was a little angry and out of control when she had done that. Mulder glanced back at her after realizing that she was staring at him.

"Admiring your handiwork?" he asked sarcastically.

"No, Fox -- I'm not. I'm sorry I did that to you," she said, sincerely this time.

Mulder heard the remorse and sincerity in her voice. "I'm sorry I defied you and made you angry enough to do this to me."

"Fox, I lost control. Walter was right -- I was wrong to whip you in anger and I'm the one who should be apologizing. I'm really sorry," Laurie said with tears in her eyes.

Mulder managed a small smile. "Apology accepted," he said. Skinner came back into the room and knelt at Mulder's side, holding the bottle of lotion.

"Look, I'm going to give you guys some privacy," Laurie said, backing out the room.

Skinner glanced up at his sister. "Don't go far -- I'm not through with *you*," he warned as she moved out of sight.

Laurie went down to the living room. When her son saw her, he jumped up and walked towards her.

"Mom, is Uncle Fox okay?" he asked anxiously.

She reached out and caressed her son's face. "He'll be fine. How are you doin'?"

"I'm okay. I was worried about Uncle Fox. I heard him yelling up there. It sounded like you really gave it to him. Did he make you mad? Did he curse at you?"

Laura glanced at her son, concerned about the questions that he was asking. "Jake, why are you asking me this?"

"Well, I know you really give it to me when I do something to piss you off," Jake said honestly.

Laurie walked over to the couch and sat down, putting her face in her hands.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Jake asked, coming to stand next to his mother, with a hand on her back. When Laurie lifted her head, she had tears in her eyes.

"Jake, I had no idea that I was punishing you like that. I should never have punished you when I was so angry. I've taken my anger out on you and that was wrong. I'm so sorry," she declared with tears streaming down her face.

Jake knelt down beside his mother and gently embraced her. "Mom, it's okay," he said in an effort to calm her.

Laurie leaned out of the embrace to look her son in the eyes. "No, Jake -- it's not okay. I should never have punished you like that and it will never happened again -- I promise. Will you forgive me?" she sobbed.

"Of course I will, mom," Jake said, pulling his mother close and rubbing her back. 

Laurie placed her head on her son's shoulder, then whispered, "I love you, baby."

"I love you too, mom." Mother and son held each other for a few moments more until they heard the upstairs door open, then they broke the embrace and looked up. Suddenly, Skinner appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Laurie, I'd like to have a word with you, please," he said coldly.

Jake looked worriedly at his mom as she patted his knee and rose to go up the stairs. Skinner stayed there until she got to him, then he turned and wordlessly walked towards his bedroom with her following behind. When they reached the bedroom, Skinner opened the door, stepping aside so she could walk in. He followed her in, then closed the door behind them. Once inside, Skinner walked over to a chair and gingerly sat down.

"Sit, Laurie -- I have something to tell you," he said flatly. She sat down on the edge of the bed and tried to not look as nervous as she felt.

"Laurie, did Jake tell you he saw me punish Fox?"

"No, he didn't."

"I was punishing him for taking Jake to New York. In the middle of the punishment, Jake was upstairs spying on us. When I discovered him, I got very upset. I forced him to watch the rest of the punishment and out of sheer anger, I whipped Fox harder and longer than I should have. When it was over, I felt so disappointed in myself. I had punished -- no, abused -- the person I loved more than life itself, and for what? Because I was pissed off. I had no right to do that. He trusted me, he allowed me to punish him and I destroyed that trust because of a momentary loss of control." Skinner paused, watching as his sister began to weep uncontrollably. He got up and sat beside her. She immediately grabbed hold of him and sobbed even harder.

"Walter, I've been so horrible to Jake! I've almost always punished him when I was angry at him! I never realized what I was doing!" she continued to sob.

"I know, Laurie -- you made a mistake," Skinner said, patting her back.

"I didn't just make a mistake with Jake, I did it with Fox, too!" she cried.

"I know you did. Now, let me finish what I was going to say," Skinner said, gently sitting his sister up so she could look at him while he was talking. After a few moments, Laurie got herself together and allowed her brother to finish.

"I felt so bad about what I had done to Fox. I couldn't live with myself. I had made a terrible mistake and knew I needed to clear my conscience and my soul. So I went to my lover and begged him to forgive me. Do you know what else I asked him to do?"

Laurie took in a shaky breath. "You asked him to punish you," she whispered.

Skinner nodded, a small smile on his lips. "That's right-- and he did. You know why?"

"Because he loves you and doesn’t want you to ever make that mistake again," Laurie answered, a small smile on her lips also.

Skinner nodded again. "I love you, Laurie and I don't want you to ever make that mistake again, either."

Laurie took a deep breath, wiping her eyes, then stood up. "So-- where to you want me?" she asked, resolutely.

Skinner looked up at his sister and met her eyes. Silently, her chestnut orbs were telling him their sibling bond was about to reach a new level. She was going to trust him to punish her. Skinner found his heart swelling with emotion. His eyes were welling up with tears and he wasn't ashamed to let his sister see them. He reached for her hand and brought it his lips, slowly shaking his head.

"Darlin', I'm moved you would allow me to punish you, I really am, but it's not for me to do. I'm not the one you wronged," he told her.

Laurie understood, nodding her head and placing her hand over his. "How is he?" she asked timidly.

"Why don't you go and find out?" he suggested, letting his hand slip from hers. She nodded again, then moved towards the door. She smiled at her brother once more before moving out the room. Laurie slowly walked to the guest room where she had left Mulder. 

Before knocking on the door, she took in a deep breath. When he told her to come in, she pushed the door open and went inside. Mulder immediately turned his head towards her. Laurie could see a momentary look of disappointment appear on his face once he saw that she wasn't Walter. He watched her move towards the bed without saying a word. She felt so awkward being there. She didn't know what to do or say, so she decided to say what was in her heart.

"Fox, I'm so sorry! Did I hurt you very badly?" she asked, tears streaming down her face.

"I'll be okay -- the aloe lotion really helps," he said, leaning up on his elbows.

Laurie sat carefully on the bed next to Mulder. "I feel so bad," she said, bringing her hands up to her face.

Mulder turned as much as he could and patted her on the knee, in an effort to comfort her. "It's okay, Laurie. It's over and I'm going to be fine."

She shook her head vigorously in her hands. "No, Fox! It's not okay! I shouldn't have done it!"

"You made a mistake, that's all. We all make mistakes sometimes," Mulder said.

"Yes, and when we make mistakes, we need to be punished so we never make those mistakes again," Laurie said, turning to look into Mulder's eyes.

Mulder read exactly what Laurie's eyes were asking. He couldn't believe it. He looked at her with wide, astonished hazel eyes.

"Fox, do you love me enough to stop me from making those mistakes again?" she asked, grasping his hand.

"Laurie -- of course I love you enough -- but..."

"No buts, Fox. Walter and I talked about this. I'm the one who made the mistake with you, so you should be the one to correct me for it," Laurie said firmly.

Mulder looked away, bewildered. This was all too much to process. He began to massage his weary brow. 

Laurie realized this might have been the wrong time to lay this on Mulder.

"Fox, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come to you with this right now. You need time to recover. Think about what I've said and when you're feeling better, we can discuss it again, okay?" she said gently, bending down to give him a tender kiss on the head, then she left the room leaving him to himself. After a little while, Mulder heard a knock on the door. He looked up and was pleased to see that it was his lover.

"Hey, how ya' doin'?' Skinner asked, moving inside and standing near the bed.

"To be honest, I'm a little in shock. You and Laurie talked about me punishing *her*?" Mulder asked, trying to sit up. Skinner grabbed a pillow for Mulder to lean on.

"She wanted me to do it and I told her I wasn't the one she’d lost control with," Skinner said, sitting on the bed.

"I can't punish your sister, Walter," Mulder admitted.

"Why not? You have to admit she deserves it."

"Yeah, she does, but I can't do it," Mulder said more assuredly.

"I don't see why not, Fox. You've punished me when I’ve needed it."

"Yeah, because you're my lover -- and you're a guy," Mulder said shyly.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Walter, your sister's a woman. I don't think I could ever spank a woman, especially one who's your sister."

"Why not?" Skinner asked seriously. "Fox, she needs this and you know it. I shouldn't be the one to do it, it should be you," Skinner said. 

Mulder placed his head on his arm and sighed loudly.

"Look, baby, why don't you take some time to think about it-- but remember they're leaving on Tuesday. Now-- let's get you out of here and back in your own bed," Skinner said, helping his butt-battered lover out of the bed and into their bedroom. When Mulder was in bed on his belly, Skinner laid a sheet on him and turned out the light. After placing a tender kiss on his lover's head, he went downstairs to the living room. Laurie and Jake were sitting on the couch. He answered their question before they had a chance to ask it.

"He's doing okay. I put him back in our bedroom. Laurie, you have the guest room to yourself again."

"Walter, can I talk to you in the kitchen for a minute?" Laurie asked, pulling her brother out of the living room.

"Uncle Walt, can I go up and see Uncle Fox?" Jake asked as he climbed the stairs.

"He might be asleep already. If he is, don't wake him," Skinner said, just as he was pulled out of sight. Jake nodded and went up to the bedroom. He knocked, then pushed open the door.

"Uncle Fox, are you asleep?" he asked, creeping into the room.

"No, Jake, I'm not sleeping -- come in. Turn on the light." 

After turning on the light, Jake walked towards the bed.

"How ya' doin'?" he asked timidly, shoving his hands deep into his pockets.

"Sore, but I'll be fine," Mulder smiled, then glanced at Jake's butt. "How are you feeling?"

"Still sore, too, but okay," Jake said, then turned away, suddenly sad. "I'm really sorry my mom got so pissed at you. I wish I had warned you ahead of time not to curse or disobey her, especially while she's punishing you -- it really pisses her off."

"Jake, I've heard about your mother's temper for years. I saw her reaction when you cursed at her. It's my own fault for doing what I did," Mulder reassured him.

"I still feel bad for you," Jake pouted.

"Don't be. I want you to forget about it. Now, if you would excuse me, it's been a very tiring, painful day. I think I'm going to sleep," Mulder said, closing his eyes.

"No prob, Uncle Fox. I hope you're feeling a lot better in the morning," Jake said, opening the door and walking out.

In the kitchen, Laurie was talking to her brother at the table.

"Did he say he was going to punish me?" Laurie asked anxiously.

"I told him to get some rest and think about."

"We're leaving Tuesday, Walt. Jake has to go back to school Wednesday. He'll have to do it before then. I would like to be able to sit comfortably on the plane home," Laurie admitted without amusement.

"He knows, Laurie. Hopefully, he'll be up to it sometime tomorrow. It's been a very long day for everyone, so let's get some rest." 

Just before they walked out of the kitchen, Laurie tugged on his brother's arm.

"Walter, let's try to keep this from Jake, okay?"

Skinner nodded. When they went back into the living room, they saw Jake sprawled on his belly, already asleep on the couch. They tipped toed pass him and went upstairs to their own bedrooms, where they slept trying not to think of upcoming events.

 

Continued in Chapter Ten ~ The Final Chapter


	10. Penance And Saying Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulder has to decide if he can actually go through with punishing Skinner's sister.

The next morning, Skinner awoke to find himself alone in bed. He turned his head and saw his absent lover standing naked at the window, peering through the closed blinds. Skinner crawled on his elbows until he was on the other side of the bed, then grabbed Mulder's pillow and propped himself up.

"Hey you," Skinner smiled as he hugged the pillow in his strong arms.

Mulder turned away from the window and gave his lover a warm smile. "Hey yourself."

"How ya' feelin'? Come here, let me take a look at you," Skinner whispered, extending his hand to his lover. Mulder moved away from the window and took his lover's hand. Skinner brought him close, then turned him around so his behind was facing him-- then he sat on the edge of the bed, bringing Mulder between his legs. He immediately began to examine Mulder's butt and thighs to see what condition they were in. Skinner could see the angry red welts weren't as angry this morning, but they were still quite visible.

"I'm feeling a lot better. What about you?" Mulder asked, trying to stand still under Skinner's thorough scrutiny of his hind quarters.

"Oh, I'm fine considering the fact I wasn't the one who got wailed on." 

Skinner began to lightly touch a few of the more raised welts to see if the skin had broken. This caused Mulder to hiss in pain.

"That hurt! Is it bleeding?" Mulder asked, trying to look over his shoulder at his ass.

"No, she managed not to break the skin -- lucky for her -- if she did, she would be out on her ass right now," Skinner said, not hiding the anger in his voice.

"Speaking of Laurie's ass," Skinner continued, "have you made your decision yet?" He reached for the bottle of aloe lotion, quickly opening it and pouring a good amount into the palm of his hand. When his hands were nice and slick, he leaned down and placed a tiny kiss on each body part that was abused -- a kiss went on each buttock and two more on the back of each thigh. Then he gently began to slide his well lubed hands over Mulder's ass and thighs. Mulder hissed at first contact, then began to moan softly. Skinner's powerful hands moved with ease over his lover's tortured skin. Every now and then, a well lubed finger would slide into the tight channel between the tortured globes, causing Mulder to gasp. The wonderful sensation from Skinner's hands were causing Mulder to lose the ability to speak. In an attempt to answer the question, all Mulder could manage was an inarticulate: "Mmmm, mmm."

Skinner's hands continued to move sensually over his lover's battered flesh. Mulder's knees were beginning to tremble and he could feel them start to buckle. Luckily, Skinner stopped and moved off the bed, then got two pillows and positioned them on the center of the bed. He helped Mulder to lie down on his stomach, positioning the pillows under his hips, raising them. As Mulder laid on the pillows, he couldn't help but wonder why Skinner wasn't asking him what he had decided. He turned towards Skinner.

"Walter, don't you want to know what I decided?"

Skinner was busying himself with positioning his lover just right for what he was planning on doing to him. He grasped Mulder's ankles and gently spread his legs apart. Then he arranged Mulder's cock and balls so they hung off the edge of the pillows. Skinner then got between his legs and placed a hand on either side of Mulder's body. He then leaned up over him, placing tiny kisses on his upper back.

"I'm...*kiss*...a little...*kiss*...preoccupied...*kiss*...at...*kiss*...the...*kiss*...moment...*kiss*."

Skinner kissed his way down Mulder's spine and when he got to the top of his butt crack, he stopped.

"Besides, I'm sure you made the right decision," he murmured, then stuck out his tongue and pushed it deep into the crevice between Mulder's ass cheeks. Mulder pressed his forehead into the mattress and clutched the sheet with tight fists. Skinner's tongue moved up and down the tight canal, stopping momentarily to poke at the puckered hole. Mulder's hips were beginning to hump the pillow and he was groaning louder. He did his best to muffle his sounds into the mattress. The last thing he wanted was for Laurie to hear them again. 

Skinner moved down between Mulder's legs to pay a little attention to the underside of his cock and balls, licking and sucking them delicately. After a few moments of that, Skinner's mouth concentrated on the tip of his cock, taking it in his hand and sucking it until it wept. Mulder's cock was now hard and straining to stand, but its position against the pillow was preventing that from happening. This bit of restraint was causing wonderful sensations to radiate throughout Mulder's groin. 

"Oh God, Walter! I think I'm gonna' cum!" Mulder groaned, thrashing his head from side to side.

"That's what I want you to do baby -- cum," Skinner replied, then went back to bringing that about. The position Mulder was in caused his cock to hang upside down, so whenever Skinner went down on him his front teeth would scrape the underside of his penis. Every time this happened Mulder felt shock waves moving through his nervous system and ending in his groin. Just when he thought he was about to cum, Skinner's teeth would stop.

"Walter, suck me...suck me hard," Mulder breathed out.

Skinner positioned his face close to Mulder's genitals and lifted his balls out of the way with one hand, while his other hand held the rigid cock in front of his mouth. Skinner took his lover in deep, sucking him hard and fast. Mulder felt his teeth scraping him continuously now.

"Ahhh! W-Walter...I'm...ah...I'm cumming!" Mulder groaned as his body began to spasm, causing warm semen to explode into his lover's mouth. Skinner kept his mouth around Mulder's cock sucking down every last drop of his cum. Once Mulder was done, Skinner crawled from between Mulder's thighs to lie beside his sated body. Mulder's eyes were closed and he was breathing hard. When he finally opened them, Skinner was propped up on an elbow, smiling at him.

"Was it good for you?" he asked, grinning uncharacteristically.

"It was more than good for me...it was amazing for me! I didn't even think I could cum with my cock in the position," Mulder admitted.

"Well, you certainly did," Skinner said, glancing at the clock. "Shit, it's already after 9! I think it's time we got out of bed. We have things to do today," he said, bouncing off the bed.

Mulder pushed himself up and managed to move himself off the pillows without rolling onto his butt. Once he was in a standing position, he stretched his long, lean body, then caught a look at Skinner. He was still wearing his tidy whities-- and they were a bit tighter than usual.

"I'm going to take a shower. You wanna' join me?" Mulder asked, making it clear he noticed the bulge in his lover's underwear.

"You know I'd love that, babe, but we're running late," Skinner admitted as he went about making the bed.

"It won't take that long. Come on," Mulder said, taking Skinner by the hand and leading him into the bathroom. As soon as they got there, Mulder went right to work taking care of his lover's condition. He knelt down and quickly slid Skinner's briefs down his legs and off his feet. Skinner's cock greeted Mulder with a delighted bob. Mulder grasped the base of his cock and proceeded to deep-throat his lover. Skinner groaned and threw his head back as he began to thrust his hips into Mulder's eager mouth. Mulder's free hand roamed to Skinner's ass, which he began to fondle and gently squeeze-- since it was still sore. Skinner glanced down and caressed his lover's silky hair. Suddenly, Skinner's head jerked back once more and he shut his eyes tight as waves of his orgasm shuttered through his body. Mulder didn't stop until every bit of his lover's cum was down his throat. Once Skinner had recovered, Mulder stood up and lead him into the shower. They both cleaned each other thoroughly before leaving the stall. Afterwards, Skinner wrapped a towel around his waist while Mulder stayed naked. He felt the towel might be too rough for the present condition of his behind and thighs. They both went about brushing their teeth and shaving. While Mulder was drying and combing his hair, Skinner was getting dressed. Once Mulder was done, he came back into the bedroom.

"How's your butt? Do you need anymore aloe on it?" Skinner asked as he was stepping into a pair of sweats.

"No -- maybe later," he answered walking over to a dresser drawer. "Do I have any sweats in here?"

"Yeah, I think so. If not, you can borrow a pair of mine," Skinner offered, pulling on a T-shirt.

"Thanks. Would you mind if I didn't wear any underwear under 'em? It would feel better," Mulder said, pulling out a pair of Skinner's loosest fitting sweats.

"No, I don't mind. Just make sure you wash them afterwards," Skinner smirked, as he picked up his glasses and put them on.

Mulder winced as he gingerly eased the elastic waistband of the sweats over his butt and thighs, then pulled on a T-shirt. Skinner witnessed the whole thing.

"Fox, let me put on some aloe. It'll ease some of the soreness," Skinner said, reaching for the lotion.

"No, not now. I'm okay," he replied, walking to the window and opening the blinds. Mulder stood there peering out, apparently deep in thought. Skinner knew just what he was thinking about. He gave him a few seconds more, then approached him.

"I thought you said that you made the decision," Skinner said, coming to stand behind his lover. Mulder looked back and gave him a small smile.

"Yeah, I did," Mulder admitted, folding his arms.

"Then what are you still wrestling with?"

Mulder looked away and sighed. "It's still going to so hard for me to do, Walter. I know you said she needs it and I'm the one who should do it, but it's still going to be really hard," he said, trying not to whine.

Skinner walked closer to him, grabbing the back of his head and bringing his head down to his shoulder. He kept Mulder's head there while he spoke softly to him. 

"Baby, I know it's going to be hard for you. It might even be harder than when you whipped me for the first time, but you got through that and I know you're gonna' get through this." Skinner raised his lover's head, looking into his fretful hazel eyes, then continued:

"Laurie really needs this so she won't continue to do what she's been doing to her son all these years. Jake needs you to do this-- not only for his mother, but for him, too."

Mulder looked into Skinner's earnest chestnut eyes for a moment longer, then nodded silently. Skinner squeezed the back of his neck and pulled him close for a deep reassuring kiss. When he was let go, Mulder walked over to the door, pulled it open and glanced back at Skinner.

"Come on, we've got things to do today and it's getting late," Mulder said with renewed confidence as he walked out the door, leaving it open so his lover could follow.

They walked pass the guest room and saw the door was closed. They figured Laurie must still be asleep. As Mulder began to go down the stairs, he immediately felt the material of the sweats irritating his sore skin. Maybe he should have listened to Skinner and put some more aloe on. It was too late now, so he continued on down the stairs, moving as stiffly as someone twice his age. Skinner was right behind him, moving somewhat better. He started to give his lover some help, but decided against it, knowing he would refuse. Once they had reached the bottom step, they noticed Jake wasn't asleep on the couch. As they continued towards the kitchen, voices could be heard from inside. When they got there, Laurie and Jeff were sitting at the table drinking coffee -- with Jake on a pillow. They both looked up at Mulder in surprise.

"Mulder, you're up-- and walking!" Jake shouted.

"How are you both feeling this morning?" Laurie asked, looking directly at Mulder.

Mulder hobbled over to the counter and leaned down on it, while Skinner leaned against the refrigerator, with his arms folded.

"I'm feeling pretty good, thanks," Mulder answered, giving them a weak smile.

"You're not walking so good," Jake noticed.

"I'm still a little sore, but I'll be fine in a few days," Mulder admitted, then noticed the pillow under Jake's butt. "I see you're not 100% yourself," he added, gesturing towards the pillow. Jake glanced down at the pillow, flushing slightly.

"Yeah, well, it was the only way I was going to be able to sit down on this hard chair," he grimaced.

Laurie noticed her brother was quieter than usual, so she got up and went over to him, touching his shoulder. "How ya' doin'?" she asked solemnly.

Skinner glanced down at her, with a small smile. "I'm okay. How's that arm of yours?" Skinner asked, with slight amusement.

Laurie caught the humorous implication of the question and smiled. "Oh, it's doing fine," she replied, then became serious. She walked back over to the table and sat down, running her hands through her hair and sighing loudly.

"Mom what's wrong?" Jake asked, putting a hand on his mother's shoulder.

"I can't believe that I actually whipped all of you. I'm like this whipping wild woman," Laurie said, berating herself.

Skinner walked over to her and leaned down on the table. "Laurie, that's not how you were and you know it. You were only doing what you had to in order to help us."

"That's right," Mulder said, coming to stand next to Skinner. "You were showing us the error of our ways."

"I wanted to come here and have a good time, not beat the crap out of everyone," she muttered, shaking her head.

"Mom, stop beating yourself up. You did what was necessary to help us and we're all a lot better for it-- right guys?" Jake asked, looking up at his uncles.

"Of course we are," Skinner and Mulder nodded and answered in unison.

"And I don't know about all of you, but up until yesterday's disappointment at the convention and the *other* stuff, I was having a good time," Mulder admitted.

Laurie looked up at Mulder, not believing his attitude. He was an amazing man. He was the one who got the worst of her punishment and here he was trying to see the bright side of the whole situation.

"Fox, my brother’s told me a lot about you over the years. He said you were a very passionate-- though somber-- young man. You hardly ever smiled, much less saw the bright side of life. What's happened to that young man?" Laurie asked.

Mulder looked from her to his lover, then put his arm around his shoulder. "Well, aside from not being so young anymore -- I've found someone who gives me something to smile about. With your brother's influence I can see the brighter side of life now, or at least want to try to," he confessed, giving his lover a tender kiss on the head. Before his ears flushed any deeper, Skinner decided to change the subject.

"Hey, have you guys eaten yet?" Skinner asked, moving over to the refrigerator and opening it.

"No, we haven't, but you're not going to fix a thing," Laurie replied as she pulled her brother away from the frig. "I'm fixing breakfast this morning," she continued, then added, "It's the least I can do."

Skinner allowed her to pull him away, then went back and leaned against the counter beside Mulder. Laurie had taken out a carton of eggs and placed them on the counter. When she turned to get something from a cabinet, she noticed Mulder and Skinner were in the way. Abruptly, Laurie stopped what she was doing and quickly walked out the kitchen and into the living room. Mulder and Skinner gave each other bewildered looks, then they both looked over at Jake, who was just as bewildered. Suddenly, Laurie returned carrying two pillows that she took off the couch. She placed one on each of the chairs at the table, then grabbed Mulder and Skinner's arms and gently sat them down on the pillows. 

"Now-- you three stay there while I fix breakfast," she announced, then went back to preparing the meal. The three of them glanced at each other, exchanging embarrassing smiles as they sat and waited for Laurie to give them their breakfast.

Once they were done eating, Laurie got up and cleared the table. Skinner rose to help her, but she snatched the dish out of his hand, taking it to the dish washer.

"Ya' know, Laurie, I'm not a complete invalid. Why don't you let me help you?" Skinner asked, a little annoyed.

"Walter, I want to do it, so please let me," she said, continuing to clear the table. Skinner was about to say something else when Jake stopped her with a hand on his arm.

"Uncle Walt, let her do it. It's her way of making up for what she's done," Jake told him. Skinner glanced at Mulder, who raised his eyebrows and shrugged.

They sat at the table until she was done, then Mulder got up and told Skinner that he had to speak to him privately. Mulder gestured for Laurie to keep Jake there, then they both went out to the living room.

"Walter, I was thinking -- you saw the way she was going about doing so much to make up for what she did -- maybe that'll be enough of a restitution for her -- maybe I don't have to punish her anymore," Mulder said, hoping he would be let off the hook.

Skinner frowned at him, then shook his head. "I don't think so, Fox. Besides, it's not for the two of us to discuss out here -- it's between you and Laurie. Why don't you talk to her?" Skinner asked as he turned to go back into the kitchen. Laurie was sitting with Jake at the table when they came back in.

"Laurie, I think we should...um...talk," Mulder said, trying to hide his unease. Laurie knew exactly what he wanted to talk about and nodded as she rose from the table-- then she glanced down at her brother.

"Walter, why don't you take Jake out and do something," she said. Jake gave everyone a suspicious look. He knew something was up, but didn‘t know exactly what.

"Laurie, I wanted to say something about that," Skinner said. Laurie looked down at her dumbfounded son and told him to go into the living room. Jake regretfully left the kitchen, then Skinner turned to his sister, while Mulder stood by.

"Laurie, I was thinking -- maybe Jake should stay," Skinner said, to his sister's shocked expression.

"Hear me out," he continued. "Shouldn't Jake know that you're going to be punished for what you did? Shouldn't he know that everyone, even his own mother, gets punished when they do something wrong?" 

Laurie glanced at Mulder, who didn't have an expression, then she brushed her hair back in frustration.

"You're right, Walter -- he should know I'm going to be punished for what I did to Fox. But I don't think he should be here to hear his mother get her ass whipped. I could tell him later...after it's over," she replied.

She had a point. It wouldn't be appropriate for Jake to hear his mother being punished, but she did need to tell him.

"Okay Laurie. He shouldn't hear you get punished. You can tell him when we get back. How long should I keep him out?" he asked, glancing from his sister to his lover. Mulder just shrugged and Laurie just looked away. Skinner sighed, then glanced at his watch.

"I'll bring him back in about three hours. We'll go see a movie or something. Would that be enough time?" he asked, looking at them both. 

Mulder gave Laurie a quick glance and Laurie did the same to him, then they gave Skinner an indecisive nod.

"Okay," Skinner said, squeezing Mulder's shoulder and touching his sister's face. After a moment, he walked out of the kitchen.

"Jake! Come on! I'm taking you to the movies," Skinner said, tapping Jake on the knee as he walked past him on the way to the stairs. Jake stayed on the couch looking more confused than ever.

"Movies? How am I supposed to *sit* and watch a movie?" Jake asked while Skinner climbed the stairs to his bedroom.

"Bring a pillow. And while you're at it, get one for me, too. Now-- come upstairs and get dressed." Jake sat for a moment longer, then reluctantly got up and went upstairs to change.

Mulder and Laurie stayed in the kitchen and started to talk.

"Good idea for Walter to take Jake out. He shouldn't be here when...you know," Mulder trailed off, suddenly self-conscious.

"Yeah," Laurie agreed, then asked with concern, "Fox, are you sure you're up to this?"

Mulder looked at her for a moment, trying to see if that meant she didn't want him to go through with it. "Yeah, I am, if you are." Mulder paused for a second, then asked -- "You still want me to do it, right?"

"If you still want to," Laurie said sheepishly as she leaned against the refrigerator.

Mulder moved away from the counter and walked closer to Laurie so he could look into her eyes. "Laurie, this isn't about whether I still want to. You have to want me to -- you have to need me to," he admitted intensely.

"I do want you to, Fox. I need you to prevent me from making the same mistake again,” she said, lowering her eyes. 

Mulder chuckled to himself. "All this time, I've been freaking out about having to punish you and I never realized how this would be for you. I mean-- you're a grown woman who's allowing someone to punish her. This must be really humiliating for you," he said, brushing back her hair.

Laurie nodded. "It is-- and it's only going to get worse-- but I know I need this. Besides, it will make me think the next time I have to punish Jake," she admitted looking up into her baby brother's eyes. He smiled at her, then kissed her on the forehead.

"Everything's going to be all right. I promise," he whispered.

"I know. I trust you, Fox -- if I didn't, I would never ask you to do this for me."

Suddenly, they heard Skinner and Jake come back down to the living room, so they went out to see them leave. Skinner was getting their jackets out of the closet, while Jake was getting some CD's for the car. Skinner handed Jake his jacket, then he shrugged into his.

"Why aren't you guys coming?" Jake asked his mom and Mulder, while shrugging into his jacket.

Mulder and Laurie glanced nervously at each other, then Laurie answered: "Uncle Fox and I have something to do."

"Yeah, we're going to try out a new recipe I found in this cookbook," Mulder added, grabbing a cookbook from the counter and holding it up.

Jake gave them a confused look, then Skinner pushed him towards the front door.

"Oh, don't forget the pillows," Skinner told him.

Jake grabbed two small pillows from a chair, then walked back to the door which Skinner was holding open for him. Jake glanced back at his mother and uncle one more time before going out the door.

"See ya' later mom -- Uncle Fox," he said pensively.

"Bye, baby -- have a good time," Laurie said. Mulder just smiled weakly and waved at them. Skinner followed Jake out the door, but not before giving his lover a quick wink of assurance. After the door had closed, Laurie turned to him...

"They're finally gone," she said nervously.

"Yeah -- I thought they'd never leave," Mulder joked, with a weak chuckle. 

"Now what?" Laurie asked, biting her lip.

"I guess we should go upstairs."

Laurie nodded. Mulder walked past her and started up, with Laurie following behind. When he arrived at the door of the guest room, Mulder paused wondering whether they should go inside or go in his bedroom. Since the strap was in Laurie's room, he figured it would be better to go there. He pushed open the door, and allowed Laurie to go past him. Once inside, he turned and closed the door. When he turned around, he noticed her glancing at the strap on the dresser that she herself had laid there the night before. Suddenly, Mulder got an idea. He told Laurie he'd be right back, then rushed out of the room and into his bedroom. Laurie looked puzzled, but decided to just stand there and wait for him to come back. Once again, she looked over to the strap, then walked over and picked it up. She held it in her hand, looking at it like she was seeing it for the first time. Suddenly, she slapped it hard against her thigh.

"Ow!" she said aloud. Mulder came back into the room holding something behind his back. Laurie placed the strap back on the dresser.

"I wanted to see what it felt like," she admitted, giving him an embarrassed smile.

Mulder nodded and smiled back at her. "I don't think that will be necessary," he said, producing what was behind his back. Mulder held up a smooth, hard wood paddle and tapped it against the palm of his hand.

"What's that?" Laurie asked, somewhat nervous.

"This is a not-so-fondly-thought-of member of the Skinner family," Mulder stated. Laurie squinted at the implement. Slowly, her face took on the dawning of recognition.

"Oh my God! That can't be the paddle my father used on us!" she exclaimed, taking the paddle out of Mulder's hand.

"Yep, one and the same," Mulder replied.

"Where at earth did you find it?"

"Walter had it. He said after your dad died, he kept it as a kind of keepsake -- a remembrance of him."

"Wow, I haven't seen this thing for -- since I was about 13. That was the last time Dad gave me a spanking," Laurie said, reminiscing.

Mulder leaned back on the bureau and folded his arms. "Do you remember why he spanked you?" he asked.

Laurie thought about it for a few seconds, then answered.

"I think I failed a midterm or -- no, I remember-- I mouthed off at my mother. I came home after swim practice and left the plastic bag with my wet suit in it on the kitchen table. She called me to come back and take the bag off the table and I yelled I couldn't because I was busy. When she kept screaming at me, I stormed back into the kitchen, grabbed the bag off the table, then turned and called my mother a bitch.

Mulder raised his eyebrows in shock, but couldn't help the smile on his face.

"Then what happened?"

"Well, Dad came into the kitchen and told me to go to my room-- and he would be up shortly."

"And when he got there, he let you have it," Mulder said, still smiling.

Laurie watched the amused look on Mulder's face.

"Yeah, he really let me have it. I couldn't sit comfortably for two whole days. You don't have to look so happy about it," she replied.

Mulder let the smile disappear. "I'm sorry. So, that was the last time this was used on you," Mulder said, taking the paddle back from Laurie.

"Yeah, but I have a feeling we're going to be reunited soon," Laurie acknowledged, without enthusiasm.

"Yep," Mulder said glancing at his watch. "I think we should get started, don't you?"

"Do you really want me to answer that honestly?" Laurie asked.

"No, I guess not," Mulder smiled shyly.

"You want me at the dresser," Laurie asked.

Mulder didn't figure out where he was going to put her yet. He looked at the dresser, then at other areas in the room. He really didn't want to put her at the dresser.

"No, I think on the side of the bed would be better. Just kneel and lay your upper body on the bed," Mulder said simply.

Laurie nodded and removed her glasses, placing them on the dresser. Then she went over and knelt down near the bed, leaning her elbows on it.

"Like this?" she asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Yep, just like that," Mulder said, kneeling down next to Laurie. "It might be a little more comfortable for you if you laid on the bed," he suggested.

Laurie thought about it, then laid her head down on the bed and placed her arms near her head. She was still wearing her bed clothes, which consisted of flannel pajama bottoms and a T-shirt. Mulder took the liberty of pushing Laurie's shirt up her back and out of the way of her behind. He then placed his hand on the small of her back.

"Okay Laurie -- before I begin, I'd like you to tell me why I'm going to punish you." Mulder said, resting the paddle on her bottom.

Laurie turned her head to the side, then took in a deep shaky breath. "I punished you when I was angry. I took out my anger on you and that was wrong."

"Okay," Mulder said, then raised the paddle, but before it could make contact with Laurie's butt, she stopped him, with a hand covering her butt.

"That's not all, Fox. I should also be punished for spanking Jake in anger all those years. That was so wrong of me also," Laurie confessed.

"Okay -- anything else?" Mulder asked patiently.

"No, I believe that's it," she replied, moving her hand away from her butt. "Oh, there's one more thing before you begin, Fox," Laurie said.

"And what's that?" Mulder asked.

Suddenly, Laurie reached back and quickly pulled down her pajama bottoms and panties. Mulder looked on with his mouth gaping and his eyes wide.

"Laurie, that's not necessary..." Mulder began, but Laurie cut him off.

"It's very necessary, Fox. I want you to give me a proper paddling and you can't without a bare ass," Laurie said, then laid her head back down on the bed.

Mulder sighed and nervously bit down on his lower lip as he stared down at the pale globes of his sister-in-law's ass. He had finally gotten the nerve to actually go through with spanking her -- spanking her covered butt -- now she's gone and done this-- and he was having a hard time getting started. He knelt there for a few seconds more, without moving. Laurie began to get concerned and glanced back at Mulder.

"Fox, is everything all right?" 

Mulder gave her a pained expression and shrugged.

"What's wrong? I hope you don't have a problem with me baring my butt," Laurie declared, without shame.

Mulder looked at her another moment, then looked away.

"Fox, come on -- it's no big deal. You can do this. I need you to do this," she said, her tone demanding attention.

Mulder blinked twice, then lifted the paddle. Once Laurie was back in place, he closed his eyes and smacked down on her butt cheek. He immediately opened his eyes and saw a red mark appear. He glanced at her. Laurie just laid there, not moving. He then smacked her other cheek a bit harder, this time keeping his eyes open. She still didn't react. Now, there were two identical marks on the once pristine buttocks. Mulder gave Laurie two more sharp smacks and noticed she was trying her best to not react to them. Mulder suddenly felt determined to make her react to this punishment. This was now going to be a contest between him and Laurie to see how long she could hold out before he made her sob. She was just like her brother -- both of them trying to be so tough and not react to pain. Just like with Skinner, Mulder was determined to get her to react. All his anxieties about spanking her bare behind was gone.

Mulder gave her two more smacks on each cheek and she still didn't make a sound. Then he thought of the sensitive sit spot and gave her a hard smack on the under curve of her left cheek. Laurie took in a sharp breath and he noticed she was grasping at the bedspread. He had finally gotten to her. He smacked the other side, causing another gasp. Now he was on the right track. He began to alternate smacking her cheeks and the tender curve where ass met thigh. Over and over he smacked them until the skin was an even red all over. By this time, Laurie wasn’t crying-- she was grunting and clutching the bedspread, somehow still managing to not cry. Then Mulder glanced at her thighs. He was hoping he wouldn't have to touch her there because he knew how much it hurt, but she was leaving him no choice. He was resolved to make this punishment count and he wasn't going to stop until this woman was sobbing. He was sure she would have wanted the same.

"Laurie, how ya' doin'?" Mulder asked, wanting to know what was going on with her.

Laurie turned her head and answered, "That paddle really stings just like I remembered it did, but I'm doin' okay," she admitted. 

"The paddle only *stings*? You're doin' *okay*?" Mulder asked, somewhat annoyed.

Laurie nodded, dumbfounded.

"Well, I think this paddle should be doing more than just *stinging* you. And I don't think you should be doin' -- *okay*. It should be hurting the hell out of you and you should be in terrible pain. You shouldn't be doin' *okay*," Mulder said, somewhat exasperated. He began to rub the paddle over Laurie's fevered cheeks. "I think I need to turn things up a few notches."

Before Laurie could say anything, Mulder smacked the paddle down hard on the back of her left thigh. Laurie cried out in sudden excruciating pain. Mulder couldn't help a smile of triumph. He smacked her other thigh just as hard and she cried out again.

"Fox, that hurt! My father never hit me there," she admitted.

"So, now you know how sensitive the backs of your thighs are," he commented as he smacked her again in the same place. He allowed himself a bit of vindictiveness.

"Ahhhh! Fox, please!" Laurie cried.

"Laurie, this is your punishment. It's supposed to hurt and hurt good," Mulder warned, smacking her right thigh twice.

Laurie was gripping the bedspread tightly, almost pulling it from the bed. She kept her face buried in the mattress as she howled with every smack of the paddle. The backs of her thighs were now as red as the rest of her butt. He paused to let her catch her breath, then began to smack her on the butt again. As much as this hurt, Laurie was glad to have him hit her there instead of her thighs. She had no idea of how much it hurt to be hit there. She thought the curve where butt met thigh was bad. As Mulder continued to go over areas that were already quite sore, Laurie couldn't help but begin to beg for mercy.

"Fox, please! I'll never do what I did ever again! I promise! Please!” she sobbed.

This made Mulder recall the time he had her brother in this condition. He thought it couldn't be done, but it could. Skinner was trying his best to be stoic and not react to the punishment his lover was giving him. Mulder had been whipping him with a belt for a good 30 minutes and Skinner still wouldn't surrender himself. Finally, Mulder began to concentrate on the backs of his thighs. It seemed that did the trick. After a few hard slaps on that area, Skinner was sobbing and pleading for him to stop -- just like his sister was doing now. Mulder realized she had truly had enough. He dropped the paddle on the floor, then began to gently rub Laurie's back.

"It's over, sweetie. I'm done. No more," he whispered, but instead of his words stopping her tears, Laurie began to cry harder. She leaned up and wrapped her arms around Mulder's body and cried her eyes out. Mulder just held her tight and continued to whisper gentle calming words to her.

"Shhh. It's all right. Everything's going to be all right, hush now," he said, tenderly kissing the top of her head.

I'm so sorry, Fox! I'm so sorry for hurting you like I did. And I'm so sorry for what I've done to my poor baby boy!" she continued to wail.

"I know you are and he knows it, too. All is forgiven, Laurie. We forgive you, now you have to forgive yourself."

After a few more minutes, Laurie's tears began to stop. Her breath hitched for a few seconds more and Mulder continued to hold her through it. Once Laurie was all cried out, she eased out of Mulder's embrace and with his help, stood on shaky legs. He turned away while she gingerly slid her pajamas and panties up over her blistered butt and thighs. 

"Um, Laurie, why don't you let me put some aloe on you? It's real good stuff," Mulder suggested as he turned back around and caught a glimpse of her discomfort. Laurie gave him a shy smile.

"No thanks, Fox. I don't want the pain to go away just yet," Laurie said, leaning on the dresser, wiping the tears from her face.

"Then at least let me get you a cool wash cloth for your face," Mulder said, going into the bathroom and bringing out the damp cloth. He handed it to Laurie and she took it, wiping her face.

"Thanks, Fox," she said, placing the cloth on the dresser and looking away uncomfortably. Mulder was also feeling uncomfortable from the sudden silence that filled the room. He glanced at his watch and saw only about an hour had passed since Walter and Jake had left for the movie.

"Walter and Jake won't be back for some time yet. Why don't I go down and fix us something to eat? I'm feeling a little hungry," Mulder admitted, moving to the door. He basically just wanted to get out of the room.

"I'm not hungry, but feel free to fix yourself something," Laurie told him.

"Laurie, all you had was a cup of coffee. Let me fix you some toast at least," Mulder insisted.

Laurie knew Mulder wasn't going to let up until she agreed to eat something, so she nodded. He went downstairs to prepare it. Laurie stiffly walked over to get her glasses, then went to the window and looked out. She wasn't really looking at anything -- she was thinking. She moved away from the window and walked into the bathroom. After putting some cold water on her face, she glanced at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were still red and puffy from crying. Her hair was kind of a mess. She combed it and replaced her pony tail, then went back into the bedroom. She looked around the room and didn't know what to do next. She knew she couldn't sit down in the chair and she didn't feel like lying on her stomach on the bed. She decided to try and make it downstairs to the kitchen.

It took her about 10 minutes to make it down the 20 or so steps, but she finally made it. After catching her breath for a moment, she limped to the kitchen. Once she got there, she saw Mulder putting slices of bread in the toaster. He looked back when he noticed that she was there.

"Hey, you made it down! How ya' doin'? he asked, a bit too enthusiastic.

"Not bad considering," Laurie answered, leaning on the back of a chair.

"Your toast will be ready in a few seconds," Mulder said, pushing down the lever on the toaster. "Do you want me to get you a pillow?" 

"No, thanks -- a pillow won't be soft enough. Actually, with the way my butt feels, air isn't soft enough," she commented with a small smile.

Mulder chuckled softly. "I think I'll get one for myself -- excuse me," Mulder said, walking past Laurie into the living room. Laurie nodded and walked over to counter to check on the toast, then she turned to see Mulder come back into the kitchen. He put a pillow down on a chair, then went over to the stove.

"I fixed myself some eggs. You sure you don't want any?" Mulder asked as he scraped some on his plate.

"No. The toast will be fine. Is there any coffee left?

"Yeah. Do you want me to pour it for you?" Mulder asked, ready to get Laurie a mug.

"No, Fox -- I'm not a complete invalid. I can get the coffee myself," she said, getting a mug from the dish rack.

"I just wanted to give you some help. I didn't mean to imply that you were an invalid," Mulder said, sounding like his feelings were hurt.

"I'm sorry, Fox. I appreciate you trying to help me -- really," she said, patting him on the arm. "Do you want me to get you a mug too?"

"Yeah, thanks," Mulder replied, taking the toast out of the toaster and placed a slice on his plate and one for Laurie. He then carried his plate and Laurie's toast over to the table and sat down. He let her bring the mugs of coffee over herself. After she put down Mulder's mug, Laurie stood next to the table holding hers and drinking. It seemed somewhat awkward, but they made the best of it. After a few minutes of silence, other than the sounds of munching and slurping, Laurie decided to speak.

"I had no idea how cathartic a spanking could be," she uttered, then took a sip of coffee. Mulder was somewhat surprised she would make a statement like that after just one spanking. He didn't get the whole ‘catharsis’ thing until he received about four.

"Yeah, it can be," Mulder offered, not really knowing how to have this conversation with her.

"There was a moment when the pain was unbearable, but I knew I had to endure it. I had to endure it to be totally absolved of my transgressions," she continued in a serious tone.

Mulder understood exactly what she was talking about. He also felt this way during an exceptionally intense session with Skinner.

"A good sound spanking can do that for you. It's a way to acknowledge your mistakes and be forgiven for them," Mulder said, taking a bit of toast. Laurie reached down and picked up a piece of her toast, taking a bite of it.

"I had no idea it could do that for you -- I mean as an adult. I don't think it's the same with children," she acknowledged.

"No, I don't think it is. When children are punished, it's usually without their consent. Most of them feel as though they're being attacked, so they don't see a punishment as cleansing or cathartic in anyway," Mulder explained.

"Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. It's too bad they can't get that from a punishment though. I mean, afterwards it makes you feel...I don't know..." Laurie said trying to find the words.

"Like you can start over with a clean slate?" Mulder offered.

"Yeah, a little, but I mean you feel privileged someone cares enough for you to even bother to punish you. They really want you to do better and be better," Laurie said with moist eyes.

Mulder looked up at her and smiled. "Yep, I feel that way whenever I receive a -- er -- correction." 

Laurie returned the smile and they chatted for a while longer, while finishing their meal.

 

Meanwhile, Walter and Jake were on their way back from the movie. Skinner was in the driver's seat on a pillow and Jake was in the passenger's side on his own. After discussing the movie for a bit, they became quiet -- both lost in their own worlds. As they got closer to home, Jake decided to make known what he was thinking about.

"Do you think he's finished?" Jake asked, staring straight ahead out the window.

"Who's finished?" Skinner asked, not yet realizing the implication of the question.

"Uncle Fox -- Do you think he's done punishing my mom?" Jake asked, glancing casually at his uncle.

Skinner almost lost control of the car after hearing that question. He turned to look at his nephew in shock.

"Jake, how did you know?" Skinner asked, not bothering to deny he knew what he was talking about. He knew the boy was bright and it was useless to lie to him.

"Uncle Walt, I'm not an idiot. I saw the whole thing back at the house and I picked up stuff from the conversations. Did he use that horrible strap on her?" Jake asked with curiosity and a bit of dread.

"I don't know what he used." Skinner glanced at the road, then back over at his nephew. "Jake, how do you feel about it?"

Jake shrugged. "I don't know -- I guess she deserves it, but it's weird to know your mom got spanked -- ya' know?" Jake said, glancing at his uncle.

"Yeah, I know, but you do know she's okay and Fox would never really harm her," Skinner reassured him.

"Oh, I know -- I'm not worried about that. It's just..." Jake began, then looked away.

"What?" Skinner asked, giving Jake a quick glance.

"I wonder if she's going to be different. I mean, is she going to be the same person?"

"You mean is she still going to want to punish you?"

"Well, yeah, but not just that -- is she going to feel differently about punishing me from now on?"

"Probably, Jake -- after experiencing what it's like to be punished, you get a whole new perspective on the subject. Your mom's bound to see things differently from now on," Skinner replied, pulling the car into the driveway. Before shutting the door, Jake grabbed the pillows then walked with Skinner up the walkway, with Skinner's arm wrapped around his shoulder. Once they got to the front door, they both glanced at one another-- then Skinner gave Jake a warm smile, as he rang the door bell. Mulder opened it, welcoming them back.

"Hey, guys! How was the movie?" Mulder asked as they walked past him and into the living room. Jake went in and immediately began looking around for his mother. He turned to face Mulder.

"Where's my mom?" he asked, concern written all over his face.

Mulder noticed it and glanced at his lover.

"He knows," Skinner said as he removed his coat and threw it on the couch.

Mulder looked back at Jake, feeling a bit awkward. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets before answering him. "She's fine, Jake. We were in the kitchen talking." 

Just then Laurie appeared, walking slowly into the living room. Jake quickly went over to her, pulling his mother into a warm embrace.

"Are you okay, mom?" he asked, almost tearful.

Laurie glanced at Skinner, who mouthed that he knew. She moved out of his embrace and held his face in her hands.

"I'm fine, baby," she reassured him. Then she glared at her brother. "Walter I thought we agreed I would tell him."

"Laurie, I didn't tell him anything. He figured it out for himself," Skinner told her.

Laurie rustled her son's hair. "Too smart for your own good," she smiled. Jake moved out of her reach. He was apparently somewhat upset.

"Why didn't *any* of you tell me? I'm not a baby. I would have been able to handle it," Jake spat.

"Jake, I was going to tell you when you got back. I just didn't want you to know beforehand. I know you're not a baby. I just wasn't feeling right about it at the time," Laurie admitted. Jake looked over at Mulder, who was being usually quiet.

"What did you do to her?" Jake asked in a calmer tone.

Mulder sighed and bit down on his lower lip, before addressing the question.

"I ...um...spanked her."

"I *know*, but what did you use?" Jake asked, a little annoyed with having to be more specific.

Mulder glanced at Skinner, then at Laurie, swallowing hard. "I used a paddle," Mulder said simply, not wanting to elaborate-- and let Skinner know which paddle. After all, he didn't exactly ask his permission to use it.

"Not just any paddle," Laurie added. "It was the same paddle your Uncle and I had used on us by our father -- your grandpa," she declared proudly. 

Mulder winced, then gave his lover another sideways glance and noticed his eyebrows were raised. He didn't look very upset-- thank goodness.

"Really? Can I take a look at it?" Jake asked eagerly.

"Sure," Mulder replied as he turned to go up the stairs, then turned back. "If that's okay with you, Walter."

"It's fine with me… but I have one question,” Skinner said.

"Yeah?" 

"How did you find it?"

"I...um...knew it was in that box you keep in the closet. You showed it to me a couple of years ago when your dad died," Mulder answered. He added timidly, "I hope you don't mind me going in there and using it."

"No, I don't mind-- but next time, ask me first," Skinner said sternly.

"I will," Mulder said, then quickly went upstairs to get the paddle, hoping the incident would be forgotten. 

Mulder quickly grabbed the paddle from the dresser and made it back downstairs. He walked right over to Jake, giving him the paddle. Jake took it and slid his hand over the smooth wood, then tapped it a few times against his palm.

"It doesn't seem so bad. Was it really bad for you, mom?" Jeff asked delicately.

"Yes, Jake -- It was quite painful, but it wasn't anything I didn't deserve," she admitted, glancing at Mulder. Jake then looked at Skinner.

"You got hit with this too, Uncle Walt?" he asked.

"Yeah, I did. Like your mom said, it was a very painful experience," Skinner agreed. Jake looked at the paddle again, noticing that it didn't look too used.

"Was it used on you a lot?" Jake asked, looking from Skinner to his mother.

They both glanced at each other, then nodded. Jake walked over to Mulder and gave him back the paddle, then turned to everyone in the room.

"Look, I'm kind of tired. I'd like to chill for a while," Jake said, moving over to the couch. He was basically trying to tell them they were all in his bedroom and he wanted to be alone right now. Everyone but Laurie began to move upstairs as Jake sprawled out on the couch. Before he could switch on the TV, Laurie was standing at his side.

"Jake, sweetie, would you like to talk some more?" she asked, smoothing back his hair. 

Jake looked up at her and shook his head. "No, mom. I'm fine."

She looked at him for a while longer, then kissed him on the head and went upstairs to the bedroom. She hoped he was fine with everything that had happened. When she got to the door, she noticed her brother was sitting on the bed waiting for her.

"Are you okay?" he asked her gently.

Laurie walked inside and closed the door behind her.

"Fox did a very good job on me, but I'm okay," she commented shyly.

"Are things okay between the both of you?"

Laurie nodded. "Yeah, I think so -- I mean, I feel okay about things."

Skinner got up and went over to his sister.

"I'm glad," Skinner said, then chuckled slightly. "I bet you never thought you would ever see that blasted piece of wood again, huh?"

"You're right about that. I almost died when I saw him with it. Even though it brought back painful memories, it was kind of nice to think about Dad again," she said, wrapping her arms around her brother.

"Yeah, it's been a while since I'd thought of him, too," Skinner admitted, holding his sister tight, then letting her go. "You guys are leaving tomorrow and I don't think you've even started to pack," Skinner acknowledged.

"No, I haven't -- with all the goings on, I didn't get the chance."

"Well, I'm going to leave you to it," he said, moving towards the door. "Let me know if you need any help."

"I think I'll be all right, but thanks anyway," she said with a smile.

As Skinner turned to leave, Laurie had one more thing to say. "Um...Walt."

"Yeah?"

"I've been thinking about seeing someone about my anger issues. You know, getting so angry when I have punish Jake. I don't want that to happen again," Laurie admitted.

"That might be a good idea, sis. It definitely can't hurt," Skinner agreed.

"Thanks, big bro."

"Okay. Goodnight, little sis," he smiled, opening the door and going out.

"Goodnight," Laurie shouted, then placed the empty suitcases on the bed and began to pack.

As he walked back to his bedroom, he could hear the TV from the living room. He hoped Jake wouldn't fall asleep with it on again. He would come back to check on him later. He pushed the bedroom door open-- and didn't see Mulder. Then he heard the shower running in the bathroom and knew he was in there, so he began to take off his clothes. When he was down to his briefs, he heard the shower turn off. After a moment, Mulder came in, wearing a towel around his waist and one around his neck .

"The butt is feeling better, I see," Skinner said, glancing at the towel, remembering how Mulder couldn't stand to have the rough terry material any where near it before. 

"Yeah, it is," Mulder grinned as he took the towel from around his neck and rubbed his wet hair with it. "Just so you'd know, I put the paddle back in the box where I found it."

"Thanks," Skinner said.

"How's your butt doin'?" Mulder asked as he watched his lover get out of his briefs and into pajama bottoms.

"Oh, it's doin' fine," Skinner answered, as he began to hang up his clothes. When he was done, he sat down on the bed and watched as Mulder took the towel from around his waist and padded naked to the chest of drawers to get himself a pair of PJ's. As he was about to step into them, Skinner got up and positioned himself behind him.

"Let me take a look at that ass," he said, not hiding the growl in his voice. Mulder happily stood still under the scrutiny. 

"It looks good. No permanent damage done," Skinner acknowledged, fighting the temptation to smack him on the ass. He released him and let Mulder pull up his pants. Once his pants were up, Skinner turned him around to face him and gently grasped his hands.

"Are you okay with what you had to do today?" Skinner asked, his chestnut eyes peering intensely into his lover's hazel ones.

Without hesitating, Mulder answered him. "Yes, I'm fine with it, Walter. For a moment, I didn't think I could do it, but I did it. I think I did a pretty good job, too, if I do say so myself. I think Laurie will think differently the next time she wants to punish anyone."

"I'm very proud of you, baby. I knew you could do it," Skinner said, moving close to get a kiss from his deserving lover. Mulder went in and they both gave one another a lingering passionate kiss which left them breathless.

"Why don't you let me put some more of that aloe lotion on you?" Skinner suggested as he brought Mulder down to the floor to kneel in front of him while they continued to kiss.

"I've got an even better idea," Mulder said, pausing the kiss momentarily. "Why don't you let me put the aloe on you this time?"

"All right," Skinner whispered. 

Mulder got up to get the aloe. "When I get back, I want you naked and lying face down on the bed," Mulder ordered, disappearing into the bathroom. 

Skinner got out of his pajama's, then crawled on the bed and laid down. When Mulder got back, he glanced at his lover lying naked on the bed -- with his magnificently shaped butt cheeks sitting high and totally exposed. 

"God, you're beautiful -- if you could only see that ass of yours," Mulder commented, his heart palpitating and his mouth drooling -- not to mention the familiar stirrings happening in his pants.

Mulder quickly removed his PJ bottoms and crawled between his lover's outstretched legs. He placed a generous amount of lotion into the palm of his hands, then began to rub them across Skinner's ass and thighs. He heard him release a moan as his fingers moved into the narrow channel of his ass cheeks. Mulder let a well lubed finger make its way into the tight orifice. He felt Skinner's butt push back on his finger, causing the entire digit to disappear into the constricted opening.

"Ah, baby...do it...fuck me," Skinner growled, as his body gyrated on Mulder's finger.

"You sure, my bear? Your cheeks are still sore," Mulder said, pushing in another finger.

Skinner let out a groan, then gripped the bedspread. "It's fine...I want you...I want you inside me," Skinner gasped out as he got up on his elbows, sticking his ass high in the air.

Mulder continued to prepare him, then he leaned over and took the bottle of lube from the nightstand. After putting some in his hand, he began to fist himself to hardness. It didn't take long, since he was semi-hard already. Once his cock was well lubed, he placed it at his lover's entrance, then slid himself inside. Then he began to thrust into the tight hole -- slowly at first -- then gradually picking up momentum. He grasped Skinner's hips for support as he slammed into his ass, hard and fast. Skinner's limp penis was now growing stiffer and pointing up towards his belly. He made a few attempts to touch it, but found he’d lost his balance. Mulder noticed his attempts and reached under Skinner to grab hold of his hardness. He began to pump his cock in time to his own thrusts. Soon both men were nearing their climaxes. Skinner came first, spewing into Mulder's hand and the mattress. Mulder came soon afterwards, cuming hard inside his lover's ass. Mulder pulled out and collapsed on the bed next to Skinner's already fallen body. After a few moments of sated bliss, Mulder leaned up on an elbow.

"You think Jake's mad at me for what I did to his mother?" Mulder asked.

Skinner figured he should be used to his lover's random thought processes by now, but he had to admit in this particular moment, he was caught off guard. After taking a moment to contemplate the question, Skinner answered him.

"I don't think so, Fox," he said, lifting a damp hair from his forehead. " Jake knows why you did it and he seemed okay with it."

Mulder shook his head and sighed. "I'm not sure if he is -- I mean, he seemed a little upset when he came home. I think I should have a talk him," Mulder said, moving off the bed.

"Now?" Skinner asked, surprised.

"You know me, Walter. I'm never going to get any sleep tonight if I don't talk about this now," he said, slipping back on his pajama bottoms and pulling on a T-shirt. "Besides," he continued, "they're leaving tomorrow -- I might not get the chance." 

Mulder walked to the door and opened it, then turned to his naked lover.

"Don't wait up," he winked, then went downstairs. The TV was still on, so Mulder figured that Jake was still awake, but when he got to the couch, he saw he wasn't. Mulder thought about not waking him, but he really needed to know where he and Jake stood. Mulder bent down and gently shook him. Jake immediately sat up, looking around wildly.

"It's okay, Jake -- it's just me," Mulder whispered. Once Jake had calmed and was focused on him, Mulder began to speak.

"I'm sorry to have to wake you, but I need to talk to you," Mulder said, sitting on the coffee table. 

Jake rubbed his eyes and yawned. "What is it, Uncle Fox?"

"I need to know we're okay. Ya' know, okay about what I did to your mother," Mulder said, lowering his head.

"We're fine, Uncle Fox. I know you punished my mother because you love her and she needed it for what she did to you."

"And for what she's done to you," Mulder added.

"Jake shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so."

"It's the truth, Jake. Your mother needed to know she's made mistakes with the way she's punished you, too."

Jake simply nodded.

"So-- we're good," Mulder asked again.

"We're great. I know it must have been really hard for you to do what you did and I really appreciate it," Jake said, extending his fist for Mulder to bump -- a gesture of bonding. Mulder fist bumped Jake, but before moving apart, he gave Jake a warm hug which Jake returned.

"Now, I'm going to let you go back to sleep -- you've got a big day ahead of you," Mulder said as he got up from the table.

"Yeah, we go back home," Jake said, sorrowfully.

Mulder gave Jake a sad smile and rustled his hair, then went back upstairs. As he passed the quest room, he noticed Laurie was still up, so he knocked on the door. When she yelled for him to come in, he pushed open the door and saw she was still packing.

"Laurie, you shouldn't be doing that. You should have had one of us helping you," he said, standing near the bed of suitcases, filled and laid open.

"I didn't need any help, Fox. I'm almost done -- but thanks anyway," she said, closing Jake's suitcase and struggling to zip it up. Mulder gently moved her aside and pushed down on it, while she zipped it up. Then they moved to hers and did the same.

"Ya' see, sometimes everyone could use a little help," he said, smiling.

"Yeah, you're right -- thanks," she said, walking over to Mulder, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face into his chest. He brought his arms around her also. Mulder let her stay there until she was ready to move out of the embrace, but not before he gave her a tender kiss on the forehead. Their eyes met and an unspoken communication transpired between them saying everything was okay.

Mulder left Laurie to herself and went back into his bedroom where Skinner was still up reading. He had changed the soiled bedspread. Mulder pulled off his pajama bottoms and climbed into bed. Skinner immediately put down the book and took off his glasses, then welcomed his lover into his arms.

"So, is everything okay?" Skinner asked, smoothing the silky head resting against his chest.

"Yeah, everything's great -- with both of them," Mulder said, sighing contentedly.

"Good. Now, let's get some rest. I want to be up early tomorrow," Skinner said.

"What time's their flight?"

"Mid-morning, but I want to give them a nice breakfast and have a little time with them before they leave," Skinner said.

"Can I make 'em my special Alien omelets?" Mulder asked, smiling up at his lover.

"Yeah, sure," Skinner replied, then they both settled down and drifted off to sleep. 

 

The next morning, Mulder awoke first, getting downstairs by 6:30 AM. Skinner wasn't far behind. Mulder wanted to get an early start on his special breakfast and Skinner had his own special plans for the day. A little before 7 AM, they began to awaken their house guests. Skinner woke his sister and Mulder woke up Jake. Mulder went over to the couch and gently shook the boy once again. He didn't wake with a start this time, just a frown. Jake glanced, bleary eyed at the clock on the cable box.

"Uncle Fox, it's not even 7 yet," he complained.

"I know Jake, but you guys are going to have to be at the airport by 8:45 to get your 10:45 flight and I'm fixing a special breakfast. Walter has something special planned, too-- so get up and get dressed," Mulder said. When it looked as though Jake had fallen back to sleep, Mulder bent down and gave him a firm swat on his backside. That-- of course-- got him up.

"Okay, okay, I'm up, I'm up!" he exclaimed, swinging his legs to the floor and rubbing his eyes. Mulder went back into the kitchen to finish preparing the meal.

When Skinner knocked on Laurie's door, he discovered she was already awake and dressed, blow drying her hair in the bathroom.

"Hey, Walt! I'll be done in a minute!" she yelled over the sound of the dryer. 

"That's okay -- I was just coming in to wake you!" he yelled back. "Come downstairs when you're done!" After hearing her say 'okay', he opened the door and went out. As he was on his way down the stairs, he ran into Jake on his way up. The boy looked tired and more disheveled than usual.

"Good morning, Jake," he said as he approached him.

"G' morning Uncle Walt," Jake replied, yawning and scratching his head as he made his way to the guest bathroom.

Skinner chuckled to himself, then went into the kitchen where Mulder was busy preparing their breakfast.

"How are things coming?" Skinner asked, looking at all the ingredients laid out on the counter and getting his hand slapped for snatching a mushroom.

"Things are going great! Can you set the table, then make some toast?" Mulder asked as he continued to chop and dice the ingredients.

"Sure," Skinner replied, then went about doing what was asked of him.

About 15 minutes later, Laurie and Jake came into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Skinner had already supplied the chairs with nice soft pillows. Mugs were already placed on the table to be filled with coffee, which Skinner began to pour.

"How ya' feelin', Laurie?" Skinner asked as he filled the mugs.

"Pretty good, Walt. Thanks for insisting I put on some of that aloe lotion. Now I think I'll be able to sit comfortably on the plane. It relieved a lot of the soreness," Laurie admitted.

"Yeah, that stuff works wonders," Mulder said, placing a decanter of fresh orange juice on the table.

"And he should know -- with the way I use it up on him, I've been thinking of buying it by the case," Skinner chuckled. Mulder playfully hit him with a dish cloth.

"Something smells really good!" Jake exclaimed as he sniffed the air.

"Yeah, it does. What's on the menu, Fox?" Laurie asked.

"My special Alien omelets," Mulder announced with pride. Laurie and Jake glanced at one another, frowning.

"What's alien about it?" Jake asked tentatively.

"That's a special ingredient-- I'll show you later," he said, going back to preparing the food. Jake and Laurie glanced at Skinner, who just shrugged. Jake figured he was so hungry he would probably eat anything, but omelets called *alien* -- he didn't know about that…

Finally, Mulder was almost done and ready to put in the special ingredient. He called everyone's attention to the bowl where the egg mixture was being mixed. He opened a cabinet and took out a small bottle. It was hard to see what it was, so Mulder made a display of showing it, like a magician. On closer inspection, they saw that is was a bottle of…

"*Blue food coloring*?!" Jake yelled. He watched as his uncle placed a few drops into the egg mixture.

"That's right, Jake. Now-- watch as the eggs turn a brilliant extraterrestrial green right before your eyes," he said, stirring the contents of the bowl and holding it so they could see inside.

"Green eggs? Who are you, Dr. Suess?" Laurie joked as she grimaced.

"I'm starving, but I'm not eating green eggs," Jake grimaced as he watched Mulder pour the green concoction into the frying pan.

"Come on, guys," Skinner said, coming to Mulder's defense. "Trust me. It might look like crap, but these will be the best damn omelets you've ever eaten."

"You've eaten this before?" Laurie asked, surprised. She knew her brother had a discriminating palate.

"Oh yeah. I remember when Fox first made one for me. I thought he had finally lost his mind. I refused to eat it, but after using various means of persuasion, I finally did and it knocked me on my ass -- it was so good. I mean, it has nothing to do with the food coloring, cause you don't even taste it. If you could get past that, it's incredible," Skinner said, trying to convince them.

"Uncle Fox, why do you have to put the food coloring in it?" Jake asked, trying to understand Mulder's motivation to make such a thing.

"Because it's an *Alien* omelet -- and that's the alien part," Mulder said simply as he began to place them on places, while Skinner added the toast. Once everyone had an omelet in front of them, Mulder took his seat. He and Skinner dug right in. Jake and Laurie watched as both men seemed to be in ecstasy as they chewed a large fork full of the strange looking breakfast.

"Oh my God, Fox! You've out done yourself this time! This is marvelous," Skinner exclaimed, placing another fork full in his mouth.

"Um, hmmm, it is pretty good, if I do say so," Mulder admitted as he devoured his own creation.

Jake looked down at the green mass on his plate, then scooped some on his fork and quickly threw it into his mouth. Soon his scowling face, turned into a face of pure rapture.

"Oh man! This *is* good! Mom you gotta' try it!" Jake exclaimed, shoveling down fork fulls.

Now it was Laurie's turn. She tentatively scooped up a small fork full and brought it to her mouth. After taking a breath, she opened her mouth and put the fork inside. Her sour face immediately turned to bliss as she began to chew.

"Fox, this is great! What on earth do you have in it?" she asked, putting another larger fork full into her mouth.

"It's a secret," Mulder grinned evilly, around a mouth full of toast.

"Aw, come on, Uncle Fox! Tell Mom so she could make it for me at home," Jake whined.

Mulder just shook his head.

Jake looked over at his uncle. "Uncle Walt, do you know what's in it?"

"No I don't, Jake. He won't tell even me," Skinner said, satisfied with not knowing.

"Have you threatened him with a...you know...spanking if he didn't tell you?" Jake asked, a little too sinisterly.

"Of course not, Jake. I would never threaten him with a spanking just for not telling me the ingredients of a meal he's made. Besides, he makes it for me whenever I want it," Skinner said, getting a wink from his lover.

"Well, what about us? We won't be around when you're making it for Walter. Fox, why don't you just give me the recipe so I can make it for Jake? After all, we are family. It's not like I'll be selling it to the tabloids or anything," Laurie said, continuing to plead her case.

Mulder glanced at Skinner, then shook his head.

"Sorry. Now, come on, eat up. It's almost time for us to take you to the airport. We have other things to do before then," Mulder said, changing the subject and getting up to clear away the dishes from whomever was done. Skinner rose to help him. Laurie was the only one who was still finishing her meal, but she was soon done and followed everyone into the living room. After Jake and Laurie were sitting on the couch, Mulder and Skinner disappeared briefly, then returned carrying wrapped packages. Instantly, the disappointment of not getting the ingredients was forgotten. Jake sat up anxiously.

"What did you guys do?" Laurie asked when she saw the boxes.

"You'll find out in a second," Mulder grinned, going to Jake and handing him a box. "You can open it now," he instructed.

Jake tore the wrapping paper off the box, then stared opened mouthed at what it revealed.

"An "X-Box"! Thank you so much, Uncle Fox!" Jake exclaimed, going over and giving his uncle a hug.

"You're welcome, Jake. Some say it's better than ‘PlayStation‘. You have to let me know if that's true -- and it came from both of us," Mulder added, glancing at his lover.

Jake released him and went over to his older uncle, giving him a much appreciative hug.

"Thank you, Uncle Walt! I love it!"

"Our pleasure, Jake. We also got you two games," Mulder said as Skinner handed him two small wrapped packages, which Jake immediately tore open.

"One's a basketball game and the other is a karate game, cause I know you enjoyed the ‘PS2’ one," Mulder offered.

"Wow, this is so cool! Look mom," Jake exclaimed, going over to his mother and showing her.

"You really didn't have to do this, guys -- you've done so much for us already," Laurie acknowledged.

"Well, we're not done yet -- Walter," Mulder said. 

Skinner then gave his sister her gift: He handed her a medium sized box that was nicely gift wrapped. She carefully began to open it.

"Mom, just tear it already -- I'm dying to see what you got!" Jake said impatiently.

Laurie decided to comply with her son’s wishes and tore the paper off quicker. When she saw what it was, she couldn't believe her eyes.

"The Twilight Zone" on DVD!" she exclaimed, placing her hand over her mouth.

"Yeah, the first two seasons," Skinner said.

"The others might be future Christmas presents," Mulder whispered, as if giving away a secret.

"I don't believe this. You guys are too much. I feel so bad-- we don't have anything to give either of you," Laurie confessed.

"Laurie, these are our going-away presents to you. We're not going anywhere," Skinner said, smiling. At that moment, Mulder glanced at his watch.

"Sorry to break things up, but it's almost 8:30. I think we need to get you to the airport," Mulder said reluctantly.

"Yeah, we gotta' get going. I'll go up and get your bags," Skinner said, making his way up the stairs.

"I'll help you Uncle Walt," Jake said, running up after him.

Laurie and Mulder packed the gifts into shopping bags, then Mulder got their coats from the closet. Jake and Skinner were bringing down the suitcases and carry-ons, placing them at the door. Everyone shrugged into their coats and began to carry the luggage out to the car. Once inside Mulder remembered to ask Laurie and Jake if they had their pillows for the flight. Laurie told him she had packed them with their carry-ons, so they were ready to head out to the airport.

The trip was abnormally quiet -- everyone in their own worlds and no one looked very happy. When Jake and Laurie were checked in, they all walked to the waiting area where they continued to remain silent until Laurie turned to her brother.

"Walter, thank you so much for every thing -- and I especially thank you, Fox," she said, turning to Mulder. She wrapped an arm around each of them and pulled both of them into a warm embrace. Jake was standing off to the side, trying to keep from crying. Skinner was extending his arm and reaching for Jake to come join them. When Jake had moved a little closer, Skinner grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him into the group hug. They stayed there for a few moments, then heard the announcement: their flight was beginning to board. Slowly, the embrace broke apart and everyone was sniffling and wiping their faces. Laurie reached into her bag and gave everyone tissues, which they quickly used.

"Okay, I guess it's time," Skinner said, trying to seem like he wasn't crying.

"Yeah, take care of yourselves," Laurie said, wiping the lipstick from her brother's face with her thumb.

"You, too -- wait a minute, Laurie," Mulder said, walking towards her. "I was going to make you wait until you came back, but I changed my mind," he said handing her a piece of paper.

"Don't lose it or share it with any one," Mulder warned, sounding like he was giving her secret government information.

Laurie opened the paper and saw it was the recipe for the Alien Omelet.

"Thanks, Fox," she said, folding it and putting it into her wallet. "I'll make sure it stays a secret," she winked.

"And you have to promise whenever you prepare it you'll put the food coloring in it -- otherwise, you'll have to give me back the recipe," Mulder said, holding out his hand, waiting to shake hers in agreement.

"Okay, I'll make 'em green -- No problem," she said, smiling, then shook his hand.

Mulder looked over at Jake. "Jake, you make sure she does," he said adamantly.

"Will do, Uncle Fox -- just was long as she makes 'em for me," he replied. 

"And Fox, try to stay out of trouble -- remember the strap is always nearby -- and that goes for you, too, Walter," Laurie warned, patting her bag and giving the guys a playful wink.

"We'll do our best, Laurie-- as long as you do the same -- and remember, I have the paddle," Skinner said grinning.

"And I know how to use it," Mulder added, also with a grin.

When all the light hearted joking stopped, Jake and Laurie solemnly picked up their bags and made their way towards the baggage scanners. After placing their bags on the conveyer belt and going through the metal detectors without incident, they grabbed their bags and turned to look at Mulder and Skinner one last time. They both waved as they moved further and further away through the terminal. Skinner and Mulder stood waving until they were out of sight, then Mulder wrapped his arm around his lover and pulled him away. They walked off holding each other, wiping away the stray tears escaping down their faces. 

Once they got to the car and sat inside, Mulder turned to Skinner, "That was some visit, wasn't it?"

"You can say that again," Skinner acknowledged.

"That was some visit, wasn't it?" Mulder smirked. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist that one… Anyhow, with all that went on, I think we all still had a good time together. Your little sister's something else," Mulder said, smiling at his lover.

"Yeah, she is. I think she’s learned something about herself-- thanks to you," Skinner admitted, gazing at Mulder.

"We all had a hand in that. I think we all got a chance to learn something about ourselves," Mulder declared, then paused to look seriously at his lover. "I'm really going to miss them."

"Me too, but they'll be back and hopefully their next visit will be a lot less painful for all of us," Skinner smiled, squeezing Mulder's thigh.

"Ya' know, I love it when we have house quests, but it's really hard when they have to leave," he said, feeling himself tearing up again.

"I hear ya'," Skinner replied. "I think we need something to take our minds off things," he suggested seductively.

"What do you have in mind?" Mulder asked grinning widely.

"Well, I can think of a few things that involve lots of lube and some phallic shaped implements," Skinner said, grinning back at his lover.

"Oh, baby! Start up the car and let's go," Mulder exclaimed, settling back in the passenger seat.

"You got it, babe," Skinner replied starting up the car and heading for home.

 

THE ever lovin' END


End file.
